News / National
Zimbabwe, Belarus to set up bus assembly plant
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Zimbabwe is set to become a regional hub for bus manufacturing following an agreement with Belarus to establish a bus assembly plant in the country, leveraging locally produced steel from the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) in Manhize.
The new initiative, which will see Belarus supplying bus kits while Zimbabwe assembles them using domestic steel, is expected to create employment and drive industrialisation, with long-term ambitions of serving the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region and the broader African continent.
Speaking on Star FM's Muriro programme on Monday, AVM Africa managing director Mr Jacob Kupa said an initial order of 300 bus kits had already been agreed upon. The buses will be assembled locally, signalling a major step towards reducing vehicle imports and boosting domestic manufacturing.
"We are ordering 300 bus kits. We want to manufacture these buses together with the Belarusians. It's not about importing a bus; we want to create employment for our local people so the buses will be manufactured here in Zimbabwe," said Mr Kupa.
"This afternoon, I had a meeting with Dinson Iron and Steel Company, and all these buses will be manufactured using steel from the Manhize plant."
Mr Kupa was part of the delegation led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that visited Belarus last week to deepen bilateral cooperation. He noted that Belarus' advanced manufacturing capabilities were impressive and serve as a model Zimbabwe aims to emulate.
"Belarus' bus manufacturing plant is massive. They produce everything. I've always said Zimbabwe must also produce everything—we cannot remain just a market," he said.
The same model is being considered for tractor manufacturing, with Belarus providing kits and Zimbabwe assembling the final products, again using steel from Manhize.
Mr Kupa also revealed that the bus assembly plant will serve not just Zimbabwe but the entire Sadc region and potentially the African continent, positioning the country as a key supplier of buses.
"We have agreed with the Belarusians that this cooperation will not only serve Zimbabwe but also expand to the region and Africa. Belarus will not build another plant for the continent - it will be here in Zimbabwe, and we are excited about that," he added.
The collaboration is part of a broader set of agreements signed between Zimbabwe and Belarus in areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, media, transport, and women empowerment. Belarus has already delivered over 2,000 tractors and combine harvesters to Zimbabwe, significantly boosting the country's agricultural productivity.
The latest development adds momentum to Zimbabwe's re-industrialisation efforts and signals a shift toward value addition and beneficiation of local resources.
The new initiative, which will see Belarus supplying bus kits while Zimbabwe assembles them using domestic steel, is expected to create employment and drive industrialisation, with long-term ambitions of serving the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region and the broader African continent.
Speaking on Star FM's Muriro programme on Monday, AVM Africa managing director Mr Jacob Kupa said an initial order of 300 bus kits had already been agreed upon. The buses will be assembled locally, signalling a major step towards reducing vehicle imports and boosting domestic manufacturing.
"We are ordering 300 bus kits. We want to manufacture these buses together with the Belarusians. It's not about importing a bus; we want to create employment for our local people so the buses will be manufactured here in Zimbabwe," said Mr Kupa.
"This afternoon, I had a meeting with Dinson Iron and Steel Company, and all these buses will be manufactured using steel from the Manhize plant."
Mr Kupa was part of the delegation led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that visited Belarus last week to deepen bilateral cooperation. He noted that Belarus' advanced manufacturing capabilities were impressive and serve as a model Zimbabwe aims to emulate.
"Belarus' bus manufacturing plant is massive. They produce everything. I've always said Zimbabwe must also produce everything—we cannot remain just a market," he said.
The same model is being considered for tractor manufacturing, with Belarus providing kits and Zimbabwe assembling the final products, again using steel from Manhize.
Mr Kupa also revealed that the bus assembly plant will serve not just Zimbabwe but the entire Sadc region and potentially the African continent, positioning the country as a key supplier of buses.
"We have agreed with the Belarusians that this cooperation will not only serve Zimbabwe but also expand to the region and Africa. Belarus will not build another plant for the continent - it will be here in Zimbabwe, and we are excited about that," he added.
The collaboration is part of a broader set of agreements signed between Zimbabwe and Belarus in areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, media, transport, and women empowerment. Belarus has already delivered over 2,000 tractors and combine harvesters to Zimbabwe, significantly boosting the country's agricultural productivity.
The latest development adds momentum to Zimbabwe's re-industrialisation efforts and signals a shift toward value addition and beneficiation of local resources.
Source - the herald
