VP Chiwenga Urges Local Mineral Beneficiation to Halt Resource Leakage

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga called for accelerated local mineral beneficiation at the Mine Entra conference, linking it to Vision 2030 goals (image source)

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga used the opening address at the 28th Mine Entra conference in Bulawayo to push a hard message: Zimbabwe must stop exporting raw minerals and accelerate downstream processing to capture jobs and added value for citizens. Speaking to mining executives and government officials, Chiwenga said the country is “open for business, not extraction” and warned that illicit trading and corruption are “cancers” that drain national wealth.

The vice president framed beneficiation as central to Vision 2030 and the transition to the National Development Strategy 2, tying mineral processing to industrialisation, export diversification, and local empowerment. He noted mining’s outsized role in the economy, contributing a large share of export earnings and supporting livelihoods, and urged processors and off-takers to move away from raw exports toward local value addition.

An official from the conference floor described a tense but focused atmosphere as government officials outlined stricter oversight and regulatory measures intended to curb illegal dealings and ensure minerals benefit domestic industry. Industry participants welcomed the rhetoric but pressed for concrete incentives: tax breaks for refineries, cheaper energy for processing plants, and predictable export controls to attract long-term investment.

Experts caution that policy ambition must be matched by credible enforcement and predictable investment signals. International reporting on the event highlighted proposed measures: tighter export monitoring, mandatory local beneficiation clauses in licensing, and enhanced anti-illicit trade enforcement to reduce “leakages” from the supply chain. Development economists say these steps can raise domestic capture of value but stress the need for transparent procurement and anti-corruption safeguards.

Operational challenges are substantial. Zimbabwe’s processing capacity for minerals such as chrome, lithium, and gold remains limited, and existing facilities are often old or undercapitalised. Analysts warn that without public-private risk-sharing mechanisms and access to affordable finance, processors will struggle to scale and meet both domestic demand and export-quality standards.

Industry voices at the conference called for a phased approach: begin with pilot beneficiation hubs tied to clear audit and compliance frameworks, then scale successful models. A regional executive noted that investors need “certainty, not slogans” and urged government to publish implementation timelines and legal instruments that will back verbal commitments.

Chiwenga’s speech places beneficiation back at the centre of Zimbabwe’s resource strategy, but the test will be execution. If regulations tighten without parallel investment support and transparent governance, processors may remain underfunded and raw export incentives will persist. Conversely, successful pilots that combine technical assistance, finance, and strict oversight could convert mining’s rent into sustained industrial jobs and downstream growth.