Construction at the US$1 billion WHI-Zim Cement Plant in Magunje has been temporarily halted to allow the investor to meet outstanding regulatory requirements, government officials have said.
Authorities stressed that the pause does not signal a withdrawal of state support for the project but is linked to conditions set out in the plant’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including compensation of affected communities and compliance with Environmental Management Agency requirements.
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WHI-Zim representative David Leo said the company is working through the EIA conditions and expects civil works to resume once the compliance process is completed. When operational, the plant is projected to produce 1.2 million tonnes of clinker and about 1.8 million tonnes of cement annually.
Government officials said Mashonaland West remains a major cement investment hub, with the WHI-Zim project among the largest in the sector. Provincial Affairs Minister Marian Chombo, who recently toured the facility, said authorities had encouraged the investor to regularize all outstanding issues to enable construction to continue.
Once completed, WHI-Zim will become the third cement manufacturing facility in Mashonaland West, alongside Zimbabwe Huaxin Cement in Zvimba and the Shuntai Investment plant under construction in Chegutu.
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