Story by Memory Chamisa
THE Government’s renewed focus on Community Economic Empowerment Trusts (CEETs) is expected to accelerate rural industrialisation and ensure communities derive lasting benefits from the country’s natural resources under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The CEET framework marks a significant shift from the former Community Share Ownership Trusts (CSOTs), introducing a model designed to give communities a direct stake in economic activity through revenue-sharing mechanisms and development projects linked to mining and agriculture.
The initiative aligns with President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s development philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind, while promoting inclusive economic growth across the country’s rural districts.
Speaking on the programme, Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Honourable David Mnangagwa said Government policies are geared towards converting resource wealth into sustainable livelihoods, industrial activity and employment opportunities.
“Government’s taxation policy seeks to strike a balance between facilitating ease of doing business and promoting investment. Revenue generated from the mining sector is channelled towards supporting key sectors of the economy, including health, agriculture and social services.
“Our mining policy takes into account the type of mineral and the lifespan of mining operations. Royalties collected over periods ranging from 10 to 30 years are reinvested into industrialisation projects within host communities to ensure sustainable livelihoods even after mines have closed.
“This includes the establishment of agro-processing plants and other value-addition initiatives. The objective is to strengthen every value chain while responding to global economic trends and demand for products that can be processed locally and exported. Currently, we have identified 12 value chains at both provincial and regional levels,” he said.
The revitalisation drive is also gathering momentum within the industrial sector, with nine Community Ownership Trusts earmarked for relaunch by the end of this month.
Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu said the revived trusts are expected to unlock economic opportunities that had previously remained untapped.
“By the end of June, we will relaunch nine Community Ownership Trusts that had collapsed despite their significant potential to generate economic benefits for communities.
“The revitalised framework for community empowerment is not merely a policy adjustment, but a fundamental shift aimed at ensuring that wealth generated from the country’s abundant natural resources translates into tangible and sustainable development for the communities where those resources are found.
“The Economic Empowerment and Indigenisation Act is being amended to align with the new CEET model and provide for stricter oversight, enhanced transparency and regular audits. Deliberate measures are also being put in place to ensure that marginalised groups, including women, youths, persons with disabilities and war veterans, actively participate in the empowerment and revenue-sharing process,” he said.
Government has already begun implementing reforms anchored on the One District, One Community Economic Empowerment Trust initiative.
Under the model, revenue generated from local resources is expected to finance key infrastructure and social development projects, including roads, schools, clinics and clean water systems, while supporting broader efforts to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards in communities across Zimbabwe.
The initiative is expected to play a central role in transforming resource-rich districts into productive economic hubs, ensuring local communities become active beneficiaries of the wealth generated from their own natural resources.
