Published: 15 February 2018

The Minister of Industry and Enterprise Development Dr Mike Bimha today launched the Motor Industry Development Policy (MIDP) which seeks to spearhead the revival of the ailing motor industry in Zimbabwe.

Speaking during the launch, Minister Bimha said the policy will help to resuscitate the local motor industry which has lost dominance owing to the proliferation of imported pre-owned vehicles.

Captains of the motor industry commended the government for launching the MIDP, whose formulation started 18 years ago, as it will go a long way in increasing capacity utilisation which currently stands at a critical low of 10 percent.

The current existing open border policy adopted by previous governments resulted in an unprecedented importation of second hand vehicles from Asia, Europe and the US hence killing the local motor industry.

The policy will see the gradual phasing out of the importation and use of second hand vehicles over a period of time.

Some of the measures to be implemented include compelling government departments and parastatals to procure locally produced and assembled vehicles, providing incentives for investors in the sector as well as creating special economic zones for the manufacturing and assembling of vehicles.
- zbc