AGP Executive Report

Culture Spotlight: Bulawayo is set to host National Culture Month celebrations at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow, with President Mnangagwa expected to preside over a packed programme featuring dance, music, comedy and exhibitions under the theme “Cultural Diversity: Advancing Vision 2030.” Digital Push: VP Chiwenga is in Russia for a major digital economy conference, warning the Fourth Industrial Revolution must not deepen Global South inequalities. Courts & Housing: A Bulawayo High Court has temporarily stopped the eviction and demolition of 65 families in Umguza, pending a full hearing. Crime & Finance: Wicknell Chivayo’s fraud saga widens as his ex-mother-in-law Tabitha Madzikanda is arrested over alleged US$1.4m trust account diversion attempts. Smart Cities Watch: Zimbabwe is rolling out AI traffic cameras, but the system raises infrastructure and privacy concerns. Business Shift: Major corporates are increasingly abandoning Harare CBD offices for suburban hubs as vacancy rates climb.

Cement expansion deal: PPC has signed an MoA with Sinoma Overseas to boost cement and clinker output in Zimbabwe, with talks also pointing to a possible new integrated plant as the construction sector firms up. CBD flight: Harare’s business core is losing major corporates to suburban office parks as vacancy rises, driven by ageing infrastructure, traffic, parking woes and utilities. Currency confidence: The RBZ says the economy grew about 8% in 2025, citing stronger ZiG confidence, export gains and reserves. Tobacco squeeze: TIMB has ordered Class A buyers to attend all auction floors after depressed prices and farmer complaints over payout structures. Climate push: Zimbabwe will host a National Seed Summit on May 19-21 and a US$3.5m urban resilience project is set to back climate-smart farming and tree planting in Harare and Bulawayo. Disaster solidarity: BGF and SDA donated US$500k in Mozambique for flood and storm victims, including boreholes and food hampers. Local fire politics: Glen View Area 8 traders accuse rival committees of sabotage after repeated complex fires, as rebuilding starts again. Transport and FX pressure: BAT Zimbabwe is re-strategising after a FY25 profit boost tied to one-off blocked funds relief.

CAB3 Legal Showdown: The Law Society of Zimbabwe says key CAB3 clauses extending presidential and parliamentary terms to seven years are unconstitutional unless a referendum is held, warning Parliament could breach the constitution and international obligations if it passes clauses 4, 9 and 10 without a public vote. Parliament Pressure Point: Parliament has received over 300,000 CAB3 submissions, but it still hasn’t said how many support versus oppose the bill—leaving the “public participation” claim hanging. Social Protection Push: NSSA is nearing completion of an informal sector pension rollout targeting more than 3 million workers, aiming to bring vendors and cross-border traders into social security coverage. Urban Growth Agenda: VP Chiwenga told the UN World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan that Zimbabwe wants smart, resilient cities that act as engines of growth—while urging private sector involvement in housing delivery. Health Crisis Context: Uganda and Congo are dealing with Ebola disruptions, as donor support shrinks and calls for health sovereignty grow. Business & Markets: Zim’s VFEX listing question resurfaces as major consumer manufacturers (Varun Beverages, Trade Kings) expand locally but stay off the exchange.

AI Policy & Safety: Potraz says it will ensure AI “does not weaken humanity,” promising action against online abuse and gender-based violence as AI-generated content spreads. Music & Culture: The U.S. Embassy will host a Zimbabwe-U.S. dialogue on AI’s impact on the music industry, as cloned voices and royalty/IP fears grow. Security Sector Regulation: Home Affairs warns Zimbabwe can’t ignore the fast-growing private security industry, citing unregistered firms and cash-in-transit robberies, and signals tighter controls. Mining & Jobs: Zimbabwe pushes deeper into strategic minerals, with lithium export quotas tied to value addition and reports of 5,000+ jobs secured. Education Pressure: Treasury’s plan to recruit only 2,000 teachers sparks outrage, with unions calling it a “psychological band-aid” against a much larger shortage. Health Sovereignty: Africa CDC links new Ebola and hantavirus alerts to shrinking donor support, urging stronger local health financing. Agriculture: Zimbabwe opens the 2026 cotton marketing season with minimum seed prices and hundreds of buying points nationwide. Governance & Oversight: Parliament wraps another Mutapa Investment Fund oversight visit at ZCDC, focusing on audit compliance and accountability.

Fire & Recovery: Glen View Area 8 Home Industry Complex was hit again, with Government moving to fast-track reconstruction and restart key services like water and electricity after years of repeated blazes. Food Security & FX: Zimbabwe saved about US$70m in Q1 by importing less maize as local production improves, easing pressure on foreign currency. Microfinance Push: Talk and Pay Microfinance was launched to expand low-income lending for small businesses and uniformed forces. Land Crackdown: A nationwide land audit targets idle farms, multiple ownership and irregular allocations using drones and remote sensing. Lithium Jobs: Export quotas tied to value addition are now supporting over 5,000 jobs in the lithium sector, with full processing expected by Jan 2027. Health Integrity: MCAZ praised police and public tips after a backyard medicines operation was busted in Zimre Park, Ruwa. Crime Cross-Border: A North West meth bust linked to alleged Mexican cartel networks has led to court remands. Green Agenda Warning: Civil society says Africa’s green industrialisation plans must protect communities, not just extract value.

Housing & Land Conflict: Spitzkop residents (Lot 14) on Harare’s outskirts fear fresh evictions after alleged demolitions by Vevhu Resources, urging Local Government minister Daniel Garwe to convene all stakeholders to end a dispute affecting 3 000+ people. Public Finance Trust: Harare’s emergency services levy is under fire as residents worry funds meant for ambulances are not being transparently tracked, with claims that fewer than 10 ambulances were bought last year. Constitutional Tension (CAB3): Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa clashes with Daily News over what he calls “fake” reporting, while lawyer Lovemore Madhuku warns of rising lawlessness tied to CAB3. Social Policy: Parliament is pressed to address unpaid care work, with women’s groups pushing for laws that recognise and redistribute the burden. Courts & Property: A Marondera church property fight resumes in the High Court as rival Assemblies of God factions battle over Stand 4355. Crime & Safety: Bulawayo mourns a 6-year-old girl allegedly beaten, gang-raped and killed by three boys, while police also continue cracking down on illegal medicines and scams. Economy & Industry: Zimbabwe’s diamond sales face pressure from synthetic gems, but mineral value growth continues in lithium/PGMs as export bans push beneficiation. Energy & Diplomacy: Chiwenga is set for major UN urbanisation talks, as Zimbabwe grapples with a housing crisis and city infrastructure strain.

Fake Medicines Crackdown: Police and the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe raided a Zimre Park operation in Harare, arresting a suspect over an alleged backyard factory making “unverified” capsules and packaging them with false health claims, with machines and products seized. Competition Watch: The Competition and Tariff Commission approved Amethis Fund III’s bid for an 88.1% stake in Vertice Medtech, giving the foreign equity fund indirect control of a key medical technology distributor/manufacturer. Gold Push: RBZ says Zimbabwe’s official gold reserves are now about 4.48 tonnes, after a high-profile Mnangagwa vault visit, as the country targets 5 tonnes by year-end to back ZiG credibility. Land & Tenure: A new land administration push is underway, with officials stressing legal, surveyed title deeds to unlock investment and credit. Water Security Alarm: Government plans a State of Disaster on damaged rivers as illegal mining and deforestation threaten water supplies. Weather Risk: El Niño preparedness is being rolled out for the 2026/27 season, with forecasts pointing to below-normal rainfall. Mining Shock: Synthetic diamonds are hitting Zimbabwe’s diamond exports hard as prices tumble. BRICS Bank Move: Zimbabwe is edging closer to BRICS New Development Bank membership talks, seeking development finance.

Drug Enforcement: South Africa’s Hawks seized an alleged R1bn Mexican-linked meth lab in Brakspruit, arresting 11 suspects (including five Mexicans) and flagging foreign nationals as central to manufacturing networks. Court & Charges: Suspects face drug manufacturing, hazardous materials and immigration-related charges as forensics process the scene and more meth is expected to be found. Telecom Policy: Zimbabwe’s ICT ministry defended Starlink’s rollout, saying competition and infrastructure expansion—not just adding operators—are key to wider access. Energy Access: Nzvimbe villagers in Makoni got a 153KW solar mini-grid powering schools, a clinic, a business centre, churches, a police base and 63 homes. Finance & Inflation: RBZ governor John Mangudya blamed currency “manipulation” by firms for Zimbabwe’s depreciation and inflation surge, not US dollar shortages. Mining & Exports: Bikita Minerals resumed lithium concentrate exports after securing an export licence under the new lithium framework. Innovation & Inclusion: IPEC and FSD Africa launched an insurance regulatory sandbox to test new products and widen coverage. Urban Sustainability: UDCORP is pushing green construction, including bio-digester sewer tech in Chegutu’s housing project. Tech & Local Industry: Avantis Technologies unveiled Zimbabwe’s first locally manufactured laptop, with plans to pursue listings.

Tech & Industry Push: Zimbabwe just unveiled its first locally manufactured laptop, the Avantis Parote 1030i, as Avantis targets VFEX listing (aiming for October) and even a Tel Aviv secondary listing—part of a wider push to industrialise and cut import dependence. Mining & Legal Pressure: Mutapa Resources says it’s welcomed the withdrawal of Botha Gold Mine’s siting of works approval, after objections over alleged manipulated coordinates tied to ML21—another twist in the Freda Rebecca expansion saga. Public Safety & Crime Fight: Parliament praised the ZRP Forensic Science Laboratory, highlighting DNA, ballistics, questioned documents and cybercrime units as Zimbabwe leans harder on scientific policing. Health Sector Tensions: A deputy health minister’s “only God can pay nurses adequately” remark has sparked fresh backlash after nurses’ strike over pay and conditions. Women in Tech: Girls in ICT Day celebrations in Bulawayo and Chinhoyi put AI skills and mentorship front and centre, while young pupils also showcased early robotics ideas. Culture & Community: The Bokola Film Festival returns May 30 with a survival-themed programme, and churches are being urged to cash in on Amai’s Traditional Cookout initiative.

Girls in ICT: Thousands of young women and girls gathered at NUSt for International Girls in ICT Day 2026, with AI-focused sessions and mentorship aimed at boosting girls’ participation in Zimbabwe’s digital future. Pensions & Growth: Government urged pension funds to stop sitting on assets and instead back productive investments under NDS2 and Vision 2030, while IPEC moves toward a single ICT system for member data. Internet Competition: Starlink’s rise is real, but fibre subscriptions keep growing—doubling from about 43,000 in 2020 to over 86,000 by end-2025—showing demand is expanding, not collapsing. Jobs Pressure: ZimStat data is putting numbers behind the hardship, with over 65,000 jobs lost in 90 days in Q2 2025, undercutting claims of “stability.” Environment Enforcement: A new Environmental Management Bill is coming, but the big question is whether enforcement will finally match the scale of mining and construction damage. Energy Reality Check: ZESA says load shedding is now minimal, but the “real test” is what happens next.

Judiciary Shake-up: Chief Justice Luke Malaba officially bows out after 45 years, but the real storyline is the constitutional fight ahead—President Mnangagwa has appointed Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza as Zimbabwe’s first female Chief Justice, with term-extension and CAB3 referendum questions still hot. Constitutional Tension: Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza says a CAB3 referendum is “unconstitutional,” setting up another legal showdown as Parliament moves. Courts & Crime: Eleven suspects linked to a major drug lab raid are set to appear in Swartruggens court after police seized methamphetamine and equipment worth tens of millions. Economy & Business: Unifreight reports strong Q1 earnings; textiles capacity utilisation drops below 30%. Health System Pressure: Medical aid law reforms are sparking fears of a “death spiral” for public hospitals, while government admits it can’t “break the bank” to meet nurses’ wage demands. Food Security & Climate: CIMMYT trials push climate-smart farming for smallholders as El Niño nears development (82% chance by July). Energy/Mining: Ariana extends Dokwe gold mineralisation beyond the boundary; Japan eyes closer links with Gweru; lithium exports resume after licensing. Media & Diplomacy: Govt reiterates press freedom and diversity; foreign envoys reaffirm support for Zimbabwe’s development agenda.

Lithium Exports Restart: Bikita Minerals says it has resumed lithium concentrate exports after getting an export licence, as Zimbabwe keeps pushing beneficiation with plans for a US$400m lithium sulfate plant and quotas for six producers. Trade Push: Information Minister Dr Zhemu Soda urges Zimbabwean firms to seize China’s zero-tariff offer for 53 African countries from May 1, arguing it can cut costs and boost exports if businesses meet origin rules. Mining Finance: Kavango Resources moves ahead with a new share issuance to Zimbabwean pension funds, signalling continued gold-sector expansion. Health Crisis: Government admits it can’t “break the bank” for nurses’ wage demands, with Deputy Health Minister saying only God can reward nurses—while shortages and industrial action pressure grows. Crime Watch: Police launch a nationwide manhunt for Hazel Mafu over a US$155k vehicle import fraud. War Fallout: Families report Zimbabweans being recruited into Russia’s Ukraine war, with deaths already confirmed. Local Governance: Hatfield residents meet officials over roads, CHEF and prepaid water meters. Business Numbers: Delta reports record revenue above US$1bn, while Tanganda’s market value jumps after Innscor-linked moves.

Industrial Push: President Mnangagwa has officially opened Varun Beverages’ US$40m Cheetos plant and a juice-and-dairy blending facility, backing a wider US$650m expansion that includes green energy and recycling—directly employing about 2,000 people and supporting thousands more through logistics and farming. Health Policy: Cabinet has approved fee cuts across health regulation, including 20%–30% reductions for hospitals and laboratories, aiming to lower compliance costs and improve access. Mining & Value Addition: Zimbabwe’s mineral sales surged in Q1, with MMCZ reporting US$983.85m from beneficiation-driven exports, while Mutapa targets 570kg monthly gold output by 2028 and Fidelity Gold moves to formalise artisanal miners to plug leakages. Fuel Security: Zimbabwe targets becoming a Southern Africa fuel logistics hub as NOIC upgrades pipeline capacity to 5 billion litres. Aviation Safety: fastjet Zimbabwe renewed IOSA certification to April 2028. Social Sector Strain: HIV prevention injection supply is falling short in parts of southern Africa, leaving vulnerable communities behind.

Mining Crackdown Meets Safety Crisis: Fidelity Gold Refinery is pushing to formalise small-scale miners to plug gold leakages and improve traceability, as Zimbabwe reportedly loses about US$2bn a year through smuggling—yet the week’s headlines also show the human cost of weak enforcement, with multiple fatal shaft collapses and at least nine miner deaths in 10 days. Industrial Push: A US$40m Cheetos plant has opened in Zimbabwe, adding jobs and boosting manufacturing capacity, while private power projects are accelerating to cut load shedding and imports. Trade & Policy: Zimbabwe has cut import licence fees from US$100 to US$50, but businesses may see limited relief until the changes are legally gazetted. Environment & Governance: Harare has moved to halt illegal construction at a protected Ramsar wetland site, as EMA prepares National Fire Week to tackle veld fires. Regional & Global Signals: Kenya’s Ruto rejects a “raw mineral export” future, and Africa Forward Summit groups warn declarations must translate into community-centred action.

Corporate Rescue Watch: RioZim is back in the spotlight after a minority shareholder filed for corporate rescue over alleged liquidity stress tied to a reported US$76.5m debt, while the miner says the claims are “bare and unsubstantiated” and will fight in court. Power & Industry: Private producers are pushing Zimbabwe’s grid turnaround, with projects on course to deliver 635MW, including new solar and coal-linked capacity. Transport & Jobs: Quest is moving into electric vehicle assembly in Mutare, while Gwanda–Maphisa Road construction is accelerating toward a November finish. Food Security: Cabinet projects a major strategic grain reserve surplus, with GMB stocks already reported at 155,210 tonnes. Cost of Living: Government has approved cuts to mobile money transfer charges and other banking fees to lower transaction costs. Local Governance: Bulawayo moves to demolish illegal LPG outlets over safety fears. Energy Transition Deals: Jospong and VYNCKE sign a waste-to-energy partnership to scale projects across Africa. Business & Markets: Unifreight buys a majority stake in Cheetah Express Logistics to strengthen FedEx-linked courier reach.

Mobile Money Cuts: Zimbabwe is set to reduce mobile money transfer charges and cash withdrawal fees under cabinet-approved financial reforms, alongside zero-cost bank accounts for MSMEs and lower RBZ supervision fees—aimed at making digital payments cheaper and wider. Youth Exodus: Matabeleland North’s empowerment programmes are failing to stop young people leaving for South Africa, driven by unemployment and drought-hit livelihoods. Mining & Safety: Police arrested 79 suspects in Mazowe in a crackdown on illegal mining and vandalism, while Matobo’s recent pit-collapse deaths are renewing calls for safer artisanal mining training and formalisation. Power & Cost of Living: After long blackouts, ZESA says load shedding should end by December 2026, but households still face a LPG squeeze worsened by global shipping disruptions linked to the Iran war. Gold & ZiG Trust: Mnangagwa again points to rising gold reserves as ZiG’s backing—while gold expansion funding plans keep rolling. Energy Transition: South Africa ramps up FMD vaccination to protect 14 million cattle by December 2026. Mining-Industrial Push: Zimbabwe urges Chinese investors to move beyond extraction into beneficiation and processing.