SPEECH
BY
THE PRESIDENT,
HIS EXCELLENCY, CDE. E. D. MNANGAGWA
AT THE COMMISSIONING OF DAVIPEL NEW
HEADQUARTERS, AGRIMILLING, STOCKFEED
AND SNACK-MANUFACTURING PLANTS
HARARE
5 AUGUST 2026
Director of Ceremonies;
Our Hosts, the Group Chairman of Davipel Holdings,
Mr. D. Norupiri and Amai P. Norupiri;
Vice President, Hon. Gen. (Rtd) Dr. C. G. D. N. Chiwenga;
Vice President, Hon. Col. (Rtd) Dr. K. C. D. Mohadi;
National Chairman of ZANU PF and Minister of Defence,
Hon. O. C. Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri;
Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province,
Hon. Sen. C. Tawengwa;
Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hon. N. M. Ndhlovu;
Honourable Ministers;
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet,
Dr. M. Rushwaya;
Senior Government Officials;
Mayor of the City of Harare, His Worship, Cllr. J. Mafume;
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Zimbabwe,
Her Excellency, Berna Versteden;
Captains of Industry and Commerce;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It gives me pleasure to be back here, at this trailblazing company, following my last visit in June 2018. At that time, I commissioned a manufacturing facility worth about US$12 million. Eight years later, we are today gathered to witness another milestone of the commissioning of the Davipel Holdings Agri-Milling, Stock-Feed and Snack Manufacturing Plants.
The journey of this company, reflects entrepreneurial vision, resilience, steadfast determination and indeed, strong and unwavering patriotism. I congratulate the founders, Mr and Mrs Norupiri, along with your team, for a job well done. Your entity is an exemplary test case in our ongoing industrialisation journey. It is praiseworthy that Davipel Holdings, a wholly Zimbabwean-owned company has transformed from humble beginnings, into one of our country’s leading agro-industrial enterprises.
The fact that you continue to exhibit growth, not only in manufacturing ingenuity, but also in employment levels, market share and stakeholder impact, demonstrates the soundness of your business model. Congratulations. Makorokoto. Amhlophe.
The current positive growth trajectory, is a testament to our development mantra ‘Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo.’
Since the initial expansion of this Company in 2018, I commend Turkish companies for their strategic and successful partnerships. My Administration stands ready and welcomes greater investments from Turkey for technology transfer as we modernise to improve production efficiencies in manufacturing sector and scale up value addition and beneficiation.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
My Government remains firmly committed to building a diversified, competitive and export-oriented economy, riding on the value addition and beneficiation of our God-given natural resource endowments. Our country’s hardworking people, remain a critical national asset.
Success stories such as the one evident here, show that Zimbabwean entities possess the capacity, skills and innovation necessary to accelerate the industrialisation and economic development agenda in pursuit of Vision 2030. The celebrated accolades of the new crop of entrepreneurs are being etched in our country’s rich economic and development history.
I commend Davipel Holdings for the integrated approach to multiple manufacturing value chains under one enterprise. Through its multiple corporate divisions, the Snacks, Stock-Feed, Maize Milling and Freight Services, the company is creating strategic synergies that improve productivity and help strengthen our national food security. Production capacities being showcased at this industrial complex are impressive, with regards total metric tonnes of stock-feeds produced, per hour. Similarly, the Maize Milling Division also produces a wide range of products and cereals under the SUNNY brand, while the Snacks Division manufactures the popular JUMBO corn snacks with an installed production capacity of approximately 5,000 metric tonnes per month.
Such investments strengthen the resilience of domestic manufacturing, reduce imports, increase value addition and create sustainable employment opportunities for our people, particularly women and the youth. Again I say, well done.
I challenge the company to speed up the envisioned establishment of stock-feed distribution depots across the country. This aligns with the present Devolution and Decentralization thrust and eases access to agriculture inputs, among other key products, by communities and smallholder farmers. I, further, urge you to partner other emerging entrepreneurs and set up subsidiary manufacturing entities in our provinces and districts in line with the rural industrialisation drive.
Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen; Special Economic Zones are increasingly serving as ‘fast lane’ ecosystems for accelerated industrialisation and economic growth. It is reassuring that Sunway City Special Economic Zone now houses more than forty enterprises, and is emerging as one of Zimbabwe’s premier industrial hubs.
‘Zimbabwe is open for Business’ and I invite more companies to take up space within our Special Economic Zones, among other strategic development corridors. The Trade Agreements and Protocols should be equally leveraged to expand exports across the SADC Region, African Continent and beyond. Zimbabwe must continue to position herself as a manufacturing hub, while playing its part to enhance regional integration, transform markets for sustainable growth, and strengthen partnerships for shared prosperity.
Meanwhile, policy consistency remains an essential ingredient for sustaining industrial growth. My government through the ‘whole of industry ecosystem approach,’ will continue to create a conducive business and policy environment that rewards productivity, encourages value added exports and multi-pronged investments.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
The transformation and growth of the manufacturing sector, industry and commerce call for a proactive approach to regulation and monitoring.
It is most opportune that my Administration will soon be unveiling three important National Policy Instruments, which are mutually reinforcing to consolidate industrial and economic transformation.
These are the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy-2 (2026-2030); Consumer Protection Policy (2026-2030) and Local Content Strategy. The frameworks reaffirm my Government’s commitment to ensuring a modern, diverse, regionally integrated and globally competitive economy. Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe’s Industrial Policy-2 aligns NDS-2, and sets out targets to grow manufacturing output from the current US$7 billion to US$12 billion.
Through collaboration and unity of purpose, I am confident that manufacturing sector is able to realise annual growth of above 5%; increase exports to US$1 billion and raise industrial capacity utilization to 75%. These benchmarks were set by you, the stakeholders in manufacturing, hence you must deliver.
More so that the targets are not merely economic statistics, but signify expanded employment opportunities, stronger enterprises, higher incomes and improved quality of livelihoods for our people. The Local Content Strategy (2026–2035) is poised to be a key pillar to support increased production, value addition, innovation and export growth. It is my expectation that this Strategy will strengthen local value chains in strategic sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, iron and steel, textiles, leather, cement, packaging, automotive products, furniture and consumer goods.
When my Government enacted the Consumer Protection Act in 2019, we laid a firm legal foundation for protecting consumers. Since then, the Consumer Protection Commission has been established, operationalised and decentralised into provinces, towards ensuring greater access to consumer protection services.
The roll out of the Consumer Protection Policy (2026–2030) is timely and further complements our Industrialisation Agenda by safeguarding consumer rights, promoting fair markets and entrenching public confidence in locally produced goods and services.
Under the Second Republic, our country’s industrial transformation is no longer a vision confined in policy instruments, but now a reality, evident through the establishment and growth of entities such as Davipel Holdings.
Together, as Government and the private sector, let us continue to expand synergies, innovate and consolidate partnerships for increased production and productivity that will benefit the economy and people of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe.
I once again congratulate the proprietors of this company for the good work we have witnessed here and call on more entrepreneurs to follow this commendable example.
With these remarks, it is now my honour and privilege to declare; the Davipel Headquarters, Agri-milling, Stock-feed and Snacks Manufacturing Plants officially commissioned.
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
I thank you.