HARARE, Jul. 22 (NewsDay Live) – Information minister Zhemu Soda has called on journalists to help translate industrial policy discussions into stories that connect ordinary Zimbabweans to the government's economic transformation agenda.
The call came ahead of tomorrow's official opening of the inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo 2026 by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Addressing a media briefing in Harare this Wednesday, Soda urged media practitioners to unpack the substance of conference discussions rather than simply report proceedings.
"Let your coverage unpack the substance behind the discussions. Explain how value addition creates jobs and demonstrate how beneficiation increases national wealth. Showcase how industrial innovation improves productivity and competitiveness. You are also required to highlight the opportunities emerging from regional value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Tell the story of how Zimbabwe is positioning itself as a competitive industrial economy," he said.
Industry and Commerce permanent secretary Tadeous Tafirenyika Chifamba echoed similar sentiments urging the media to amplify policymakers' vision.
ZICE 2026, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in partnership with economic think-tank Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) and ZimTrade, runs from July 23 to 24 under the theme "Accelerating Industrialisation through Regional Value Chains, Innovation and Trade".
Chifamba stressed the need to accelerate value addition in mining and agriculture, with particular emphasis on local fertiliser production to boost food sovereignty, and downstream industries in iron and steel to create quality jobs.
One of the conference's headline deliverables will be the official launch of the State of Industry and 2027 Prospects Report, which Soda said was developed through a nationwide research exercise drawing on more than 2,300 stakeholders, including 2,071 firms and 229 respondents from government, academia, research institutions, development partners, industry associations and other organisations.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The conference will connect policymakers, investors, industrialists, financiers, technology providers, development partners and trade partners around bankable projects and value-chain development.
The event will prioritise manufacturing, agro-processing, mining beneficiation, renewable energy, infrastructure development and the digital economy.
The theme of the conference is in line with Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy 2 and the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy for 2026-2030, which target increased industrial output and a stronger manufacturing base as a driver of economic growth. Analysts have cautioned that sustaining investment into industry will require progress on long-standing structural constraints including electricity shortages, infrastructure deficits, policy uncertainty and the high cost of capital.
