By Talkmore Gandiwa
President Emerson Mnangagwa said the parliament is expected to finalize the mines and minerals amendment bill marking a significant milestone in the legislative reform of the country’s mining sector, with the aim to attract local and foreign investors.
The Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025, which aims to modernize Zimbabwe’s mining laws, was officially gazetted on June 25, 2025. The bill is expected to be finalized by the end of the current parliamentary session in October 2025.
This version seeks to replace the outdated Mines and Minerals Act of 1961, a process that has faced delays for nearly a decade. “The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill has been gazetted and is expected to be finalised during the current session of Parliament,” said Mnangagwa while giving state of nation address.
Adding on he said the “government is committed to weeding out irresponsible mining stakeholders who cause pollution, degradation of the environment and damage to critical infrastructure.”
The Bill responds to: the need to attract local and foreign investment, the need for greater transparency and accountability, formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), alignment of mining with environmental and social safeguards, and the need to attract local and foreign investment.
Since the beginning of the year the mining industry witnessed production boom due to the favorable global gold price and increased gold demand. The country is targeting to achieve gold production target of 40 tonnes anchored on improved sector production.
The country have also witnessed increased mining investor inflow into the country. According to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Authority (ZIDA), the mining sector attracted $906.8 million in projected investment during the first quarter of 2025 based on license issuance. For the first half of 2025, a total of 171 investment deals were signed across the mining sector, projected to bring in over $1.2 billion.
But however, the sector witnessed several tragedies’ which included the poor working conditions, low remunerations, culture violations and loss of human life. “As we welcome investors in our jurisdiction, we expect 5 that they will adhere to the Constitution and laws of our country, while also respecting our people, customs and culture,” said Mnangagwa.
The government is also targeting to increased fuel pipeline capacity to 5 billion litres per annum from the current 3 billion litres per annum. This comes after the government is targeting to improve efficiency in the energy sector which will also translate into reducing the cost of business by local industries.
“The country continues to enjoy adequate fuel supplies, benefitting from upgrading of the pipeline capacity to 3 billion litres per annum. Pipeline capacity will be further upgraded to handle 5 billion litres per annum,” said Mnangagwa.
The government has embarked on a Rural Electrification Programme that is electrifying both public institutions and homesteads throughout the country, is improving energy access by our rural communities.
Mnangagwa said a number of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Captive Power Producers (CPPs), commercial and industrial players have been licenced. “Their on boarding into our national grid has increased the power supply.”
