Opinion / Columnist
Mbare is NOW the Heart Beat of Zimbabwe's Economy
3 hrs ago | Views
In a country beset by economic challenges and political uncertainties, it is often in the most unexpected corners that we find resilience, innovation and growth. Mbare, a densely populated township in Harare long associated with poverty, overcrowding and informal trade, has quietly transformed into the most productive sector of Zimbabwe's economy. This renaissance is neither state-led nor donor-funded, NO, rather, it is driven by ordinary Zimbabweans whose industriousness now sustains millions.
Once known merely as a bustling marketplace, Mbare has grown into an industrial and agricultural powerhouse. On any given day, it is estimated that over USD4 million changes hands within its network of informal markets, workshops, stalls and supply chains. For many, Mbare is not just a marketplace, it is NOW a lifeline. From vegetables and fruits, to steel window frames, to handmade agricultural implements and even light machinery - Mbare produces it all.
To the government, Mbare's dynamism is often labelled "informal". It falls outside the tax net, lacks formal legal structures and receives little to no support in the form of infrastructure or financing. Yet, to the majority of Zimbabweans, especially those struggling with high unemployment, this so-called informal sector is the real economy. It feeds families, builds homes and creates opportunities where none formally exist.
Mbare's transformation into a manufacturing hub did not happen overnight. Decades of economic decline, factory closures and rising joblessness pushed thousands of skilled artisans and entrepreneurs into informal self-employment. What emerged in Mbare was an organic and self-regulating industrial zone.
From the corner of Magaba (the industrial section of Mbare), rows of skilled blacksmiths, welders, carpenters plumbers and panel beaters are producing everything from ploughshares for communal farmers, steel doors for Harare's mushrooming suburbs, to water pump parts and generators assembled from spare parts. Their ingenuity is astonishing. Without access to loans or formal machinery, these men and women fabricate tools and equipment that rival imports in both quality and affordability.
Equally significant is the role of women in this economy. Mbare Musika remains the largest fresh produce market in the country, where tonnes of tomatoes, onions, maize, sugarcane, bananas and more are sold every day. Female vendors dominate this space often waking before dawn, negotiating with rural suppliers, managing stock and transport and sustaining households with the profits.
The informal nature of Mbare's economy should not be mistaken for disorder or lack of contribution. Estimates suggest that nearly 70% of Harare's building materials, particularly doors, window frames, burglar bars and roofing sheets, come from workshops in Mbare. Furthermore, many of the agricultural tools used in communal lands, particularly in Manicaland, Midlands, and Mashonaland West, are made in Mbare and distributed through a network of informal traders and bus drivers.
While government statistics may under-report Mbare's contribution to the GDP, anyone who has tried to build or renovate a home in Zimbabwe will tell you the same thing: If it's not from Mbare, it's either too expensive or imported.
However, Mbare's success is also its burden. The area is now congested, poorly serviced and under constant threat from fire hazards, flooding and disease outbreaks due to overpopulation and inadequate infrastructure. There are simply too many people and businesses operating in too small a space.
Now is the time for government and city authorities to recognise the economic miracle of Mbare and to act. We must decentralise this production by parcelling out industrial stands throughout Harare in areas like Kuwadzana, Mabvuku, Chitungwiza, Dzivarasekwa and even Epworth. Let us formalise and scale up these Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by giving them proper workspaces, security of tenure, access to electricity, water and internet.
Furthermore, the government must create tailored financing mechanisms, not cumbersome loan applications requiring collateral these entrepreneurs do not have. It is time to accept that the economy of Zimbabwe is being driven not from towering office blocks, but from sweaty welding bays and muddy vegetable stalls.
Rather than looking at Mbare as a problem to be solved, Zimbabwe must reframe it as a model to be replicated. Imagine 10 more "Mbares" across the country each decentralised, formalised and supported. This is how we create jobs, boost manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.
Decentralisation will also relieve pressure on Mbare itself. By spreading production hubs around the city, we ease traffic, improve hygiene and reduce environmental degradation. Local authorities can also collect reasonable licensing fees, thus bringing revenue into city coffers while respecting the dignity and rights of the informal workers.
Mbare is not perfect. It is messy, unregulated, chaotic and yet it works. It feeds the city. It clothes it. It builds it. The government cannot afford to ignore or belittle this thriving economy. The vision must now shift from control and taxation to empowerment and integration. Let us give these enterprises land, space, infrastructure and the recognition they deserve.
Mbare is Zimbabwe's engine room unofficial, unseen and underappreciated. But it is time we changed that. In those smoky workshops and noisy markets, the future of Zimbabwe's economy is already being forged.
A moment to rethink and re strategies!!
Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
+263772278161
Once known merely as a bustling marketplace, Mbare has grown into an industrial and agricultural powerhouse. On any given day, it is estimated that over USD4 million changes hands within its network of informal markets, workshops, stalls and supply chains. For many, Mbare is not just a marketplace, it is NOW a lifeline. From vegetables and fruits, to steel window frames, to handmade agricultural implements and even light machinery - Mbare produces it all.
To the government, Mbare's dynamism is often labelled "informal". It falls outside the tax net, lacks formal legal structures and receives little to no support in the form of infrastructure or financing. Yet, to the majority of Zimbabweans, especially those struggling with high unemployment, this so-called informal sector is the real economy. It feeds families, builds homes and creates opportunities where none formally exist.
Mbare's transformation into a manufacturing hub did not happen overnight. Decades of economic decline, factory closures and rising joblessness pushed thousands of skilled artisans and entrepreneurs into informal self-employment. What emerged in Mbare was an organic and self-regulating industrial zone.
From the corner of Magaba (the industrial section of Mbare), rows of skilled blacksmiths, welders, carpenters plumbers and panel beaters are producing everything from ploughshares for communal farmers, steel doors for Harare's mushrooming suburbs, to water pump parts and generators assembled from spare parts. Their ingenuity is astonishing. Without access to loans or formal machinery, these men and women fabricate tools and equipment that rival imports in both quality and affordability.
Equally significant is the role of women in this economy. Mbare Musika remains the largest fresh produce market in the country, where tonnes of tomatoes, onions, maize, sugarcane, bananas and more are sold every day. Female vendors dominate this space often waking before dawn, negotiating with rural suppliers, managing stock and transport and sustaining households with the profits.
The informal nature of Mbare's economy should not be mistaken for disorder or lack of contribution. Estimates suggest that nearly 70% of Harare's building materials, particularly doors, window frames, burglar bars and roofing sheets, come from workshops in Mbare. Furthermore, many of the agricultural tools used in communal lands, particularly in Manicaland, Midlands, and Mashonaland West, are made in Mbare and distributed through a network of informal traders and bus drivers.
While government statistics may under-report Mbare's contribution to the GDP, anyone who has tried to build or renovate a home in Zimbabwe will tell you the same thing: If it's not from Mbare, it's either too expensive or imported.
However, Mbare's success is also its burden. The area is now congested, poorly serviced and under constant threat from fire hazards, flooding and disease outbreaks due to overpopulation and inadequate infrastructure. There are simply too many people and businesses operating in too small a space.
Now is the time for government and city authorities to recognise the economic miracle of Mbare and to act. We must decentralise this production by parcelling out industrial stands throughout Harare in areas like Kuwadzana, Mabvuku, Chitungwiza, Dzivarasekwa and even Epworth. Let us formalise and scale up these Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by giving them proper workspaces, security of tenure, access to electricity, water and internet.
Furthermore, the government must create tailored financing mechanisms, not cumbersome loan applications requiring collateral these entrepreneurs do not have. It is time to accept that the economy of Zimbabwe is being driven not from towering office blocks, but from sweaty welding bays and muddy vegetable stalls.
Rather than looking at Mbare as a problem to be solved, Zimbabwe must reframe it as a model to be replicated. Imagine 10 more "Mbares" across the country each decentralised, formalised and supported. This is how we create jobs, boost manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.
Decentralisation will also relieve pressure on Mbare itself. By spreading production hubs around the city, we ease traffic, improve hygiene and reduce environmental degradation. Local authorities can also collect reasonable licensing fees, thus bringing revenue into city coffers while respecting the dignity and rights of the informal workers.
Mbare is not perfect. It is messy, unregulated, chaotic and yet it works. It feeds the city. It clothes it. It builds it. The government cannot afford to ignore or belittle this thriving economy. The vision must now shift from control and taxation to empowerment and integration. Let us give these enterprises land, space, infrastructure and the recognition they deserve.
Mbare is Zimbabwe's engine room unofficial, unseen and underappreciated. But it is time we changed that. In those smoky workshops and noisy markets, the future of Zimbabwe's economy is already being forged.
A moment to rethink and re strategies!!
Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
+263772278161
Source - Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
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