MARTIN MAWAYA
The Midlands province, long touted as Zimbabwe’s industrial and mineral powerhouse, is lagging behind nearly all other provinces in the implementation of government projects for 2025, a new high-level report has revealed.
Despite its central location, vast mineral wealth and a population of more than 1.8 million, Midlands ranks second from the bottom with just 28 projects, marginally ahead of Bulawayo, which recorded 26.
This is contained in the “Compendium of Projects Implemented in 2025”, a government document signed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Special Advisor on Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr. Joram Gumbo.
The statistics present a puzzling contrast for a province that contributes over 11 percent of national gross domestic product (GDP) and leads in mining output, yet performs near the bottom in terms of actual project rollouts.
A province punching below its weight
According to the compendium, of the 28 projects recorded in Midlands, 17 have been completed while 11 remain ongoing.
In comparison, Manicaland emerged as the top performer with 515 projects.
Mashonaland East followed with 305, Mashonaland West with 174, Mashonaland Central with 114, Masvingo with 54, Matabeleland South with 47 and Matabeleland North with 34.
Harare Metropolitan completed 64 of its 68 projects.
Nationally, 1 365 projects were implemented in 2025, with 601 completed and 764 still ongoing.
Among the eight non-metropolitan provinces, the Midlands ranks last in terms of the number of projects initiated.
Government officials said the data was validated through a triangulated verification, including interviews with project managers, field officers and technical personnel, site visits, and cross checking with line ministry reports to ensure accuracy.
However, the paltry number of projects has raised serious concerns about provincial planning capacity, bureaucratic bottlenecks and consistency in resource allocation in a province that hosted the 2025 national Independence celebrations.
Economic power versus project output
Midlands is richly endowed with gold, platinum group metals, chrome, diamonds, lithium and iron ore, alongside strong cotton and maize production.
ZimStat’s 2022 report shows that mining drove the province’s growth, contributing ZwG25 billion, underscoring its key role in the country’s economy.
The province also hosts a vibrant manufacturing base centred in Gweru and Kwekwe, and key tourism attractions such as Antelope Park, Chirisa Game Reserve, Sherwood Conservancy, Gwampa Gorge and Iron Age heritage sites like Ziwa.
But, the report highlights major untapped opportunities in leather and textile value chains, steel and iron beneficiation, and the exploitation of minerals such as emerald, lithium, and asbestos.
It also identifies potential growth areas in fruit and vegetable canning, as well as in the honey and crafts markets.
In addition, the report points to investment prospects in cotton ginning and spinning, the recapitalization of the Dabuka marshalling yard, the establishment of coal coking plants, and the development of livestock breeding and beef canning industries.
These sectors could unlock thousands of jobs and reposition Midlands as Zimbabwe’s premier industrial corridor, provided project implementation is enhanced.
Despite this potential, the low project count shows the province is yet to realize its full economic potential.
Why Midlands is falling behind
In his foreword, Dr. Gumbo said the rollout of projects between 2018 and 2025 under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) marked a turning point in Zimbabwe’s development agenda, with 11 071 projects implemented nationwide and 7 261 (68.83%) successfully completed.
“NDS1 has strengthened governance, improved infrastructure, modernized public services and expanded human capital and innovation,” Gumbo wrote, while acknowledging several unresolved challenges the NDS2 is expected to address.
The report attributes the province’s underperformance to persistent funding constraints, with inadequate treasury disbursements emerging as a major impediment.
Climate change related shocks, including droughts and floods, disrupted agriculture, water and energy initiatives, while power shortages affected industrial and infrastructure projects.
Poor coordination among ministries, departments and agencies, stemming from the absence of a “whole-of-government” approach, led to duplication, delays and inefficiencies.
Capacity constraints, particularly limited technical expertise in sectors such as energy, ICT and infrastructure, further weakened implementation.
Inadequate stakeholder and community engagement also resulted in resistance and low project ownership in some areas.
Flagship projects and a province at a crossroads
Despite its poor overall ranking, Midlands did register several flagship projects in 2025.
These include the Manhize Steel Plant, now Africa’s largest integrated steel operation, the Sengwa coal mining expansion, the Chemakudo Irrigation Scheme in Mberengwa, Kwekwe GMB smart silos, and the five-kilometre Nembudziya Growth Point road upgrade.
Other notable developments include Nembudziya Stadium, Shurugwi and Zhong Jin Hotel investments, Midlands State University Law School infrastructure, the Gweru Provincial Hospital escalated care ward, Mataga Mini Hospital and the Nembudziya mortuary.
While significant, these projects represent only a fraction of what other provinces achieved under the same national development drive.
The compendium paints a bleak picture of a wealthy and strategically positioned province struggling to keep pace with national development momentum.
Development analysts say Midlands leadership must urgently revamp planning structures, improve investment proposal packaging and strengthen coordination with line ministries.
Without these reforms, they warn, the province risks cementing its reputation as a sleeping giant, rich in resources but trailing in implementation and overshadowed by more agile provinces.
