The Government of Zimbabwe has announced that quarry and granite mining will now be exclusively reserved for citizens, extending its policy framework on indigenisation and local economic participation.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, confirmed the decision, highlighting its alignment with the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, which already restricts several sectors to indigenous Zimbabweans, including artisanal mining, tobacco grading, and packaging.
Muswere stated that the measure seeks to “streamline operations in the reserved sectors” while balancing national development priorities with the need to maintain a conducive investment climate. The government argues that by consolidating control over strategic sub-sectors such as quarrying and granite extraction, communities and districts hosting mining activities stand to benefit more directly from the exploitation of natural resources.
Under the policy, mining companies operating in Zimbabwe will be expected to play a larger role in driving rural industrialisation through community economic empowerment trusts. These trusts, according to Muswere, will be supported to establish industrial parks in partnership with relevant stakeholders, thereby creating opportunities for revenue sharing and ensuring that mining activity contributes to broader socio-economic development.
Zimbabwe is among the largest producers of black granite in Southern Africa, with significant deposits in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, and Manicaland provinces. Granite exports, particularly to European and Asian markets, represent an important source of foreign currency. However, debates have persisted regarding the distribution of benefits, especially at the community level, where local populations have often argued that the extraction of high-value natural resources yields limited tangible improvements to livelihoods or infrastructure.
The government’s latest decision, therefore, reflects a broader regional trend across Southern Africa, where states are seeking to increase domestic participation in extractive industries. Similar efforts have been observed in countries such as Botswana, where diamond beneficiation has been prioritised, and in Tanzania, where policies have been introduced to increase state and citizen participation in mining ventures.
Critics of such measures caution that restricting certain sectors exclusively to nationals could deter foreign investment or limit access to international capital and expertise. Proponents, however, argue that long-term sustainability and sovereignty in resource management require ensuring that wealth generated from finite resources benefits local populations rather than being disproportionately channelled abroad.
Zimbabwe’s approach underscores a Pan-African perspective on resource governance: the recognition that while mineral wealth is a crucial driver of economic growth, its management must integrate local empowerment, equitable benefit-sharing, and strategies for industrialisation that extend beyond the extraction of raw materials.
