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Zimbo Grapevine

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Politics & Current Affairs

Government, Parliament, the economy and public life in Zimbabwe, reported with named sources.

A field of tall sugar cane with feathery flower heads under heavy grey clouds, hills in the background.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Government sets sugar cane price at US$72.40 a tonne for growers

New regulations fix a minimum US$72.40 a tonne for cane private growers sell to millers and require payment by the 8th of the following month, after a season-long price row.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

The white columns of Bulawayo City Hall beside tall pine and palm trees under a blue sky.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Foreign buyers land in Bulawayo for Zimbabwe Export Week

Buyers from ten countries have arrived in Bulawayo ahead of ZimTrade's Export Week seminars, which aim to turn foreign demand into orders for Zimbabwean firms.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A miner pours muddy water from a metal pan beside a pile of broken rock at a small mine site.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Zimbabwe scraps VAT on gold sold to licensed refineries

A new statutory instrument, backdated to 1 January, removes VAT on gold supplied to licensed refineries in a bid to pull more gold into formal channels.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Aerial view of Libreville's seafront boulevard with office blocks beside the sea under a cloudy sky.

Tech & AINews report: sourced and attributed

AU ministers say Africa needs money, not more plans, for AI

At an African Union ICT ministers' meeting in Libreville, the AU's digital chief called for funding for African AI, data centres and fibre, saying Africa has enough strategies.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A grey, glittering lump of petalite rock on a white background.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Zimbabwe's mineral sales top US$5bn as lithium sales soar

Minerals sold through MMCZ reached US$5.013 billion from 1 January to 27 October 2026, more than double last year, led by lithium and platinum group metals.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Landscape view of the Mutare area in Manicaland, Zimbabwe.

CourtsNews report: sourced and attributed

ConCourt lets ZCDC challenge US$10.7m Adlecraft judgment

The Constitutional Court has granted ZCDC direct access to challenge a Supreme Court ruling upholding a US$10.7m judgment owed to contractor Adlecraft over Chiadzwa mining work.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, in a dark suit, seated in an armchair during an official visit.

CourtsNews report: sourced and attributed

Marry Mubaiwa removed from remand in Chiwenga attempted murder case

A Harare regional magistrate removed Marry Mubaiwa from remand on the charge of attempting to kill VP Constantino Chiwenga. In an interview afterwards she denied the charge and made allegations against him.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Strive Masiyiwa, in a grey jacket and glasses, gestures with both hands while speaking on stage.

TechNews report: sourced and attributed

Econet pushes AI to every Zimbabwean with a smartphone

Econet Ai has launched a campaign to get ordinary Zimbabweans using AI, while sister group Cassava is now an authorised reseller of Claude in Africa.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe building in Harare.

MoneyNews report: sourced and attributed

RBZ in talks to bring India's UPI payments tech to Zimbabwe

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is negotiating with India's NPCI International to build a national instant-payments system, with 31 October set as the deadline for a deal.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Explainer card listing the right to refuse dangerous work, employer duties and penalties, elected safety reps, and the new NSSA safety department.

Work & MoneyNews report: sourced and attributed

Zimbabwe workers can now refuse dangerous work under new law

Zimbabwe's new workplace safety law (Act 7 of 2026) gives workers the right to refuse dangerous work, protects them from dismissal and sets fines or jail for employers.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Modern office blocks and a busy car park in Accra's Airport City under a cloudy evening sky.

AI in AfricaNews report: sourced and attributed

Ghana's $270m AI plan questioned over computing target error

IMANI's Bright Simons says Ghana's national AI strategy misstates its computing targets and that the planned GhanaChat data centre may need a US$61m yearly subsidy.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

The domed New Parliament Building of Zimbabwe on a hill near Harare under a blue sky.

PoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Mnangagwa calls for sanctions to go on SADC Anti-Sanctions Day

In an address marking SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, President Mnangagwa called for Western sanctions to be lifted unconditionally and said Zimbabwe will not wait to develop.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A worker with his back to the camera shovels ore into a metal bin beside a stamp mill and ball mill under a roofed shed.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Mines ministry stops walk-ins at cadastre office from Monday

From Monday 26 October the Deputy Cadastre Registrar's Office will not see walk-in visitors while staff speed up Zimbabwe's digital mining title system.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Harare CBD glass office tower with palms and street, Grapevine profile treatment

PoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Sir Wicknell: the gifts, the contracts and the questions Chivayo left

Wicknell Chivayo died in a helicopter crash on 30 September. He went from prison to Rolls-Royces, State Houses and a Provincial Hero's burial. Here is what is on the record, what the courts decided, and what is still only alleged.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

The New Parliament Building, a large curved stone building on a hilltop near Harare, under a clear blue sky.

PoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Mnangagwa takes over COMESA chair from Ruto at Harare summit

Kenya's William Ruto handed the COMESA chairmanship to President Mnangagwa at the bloc's 25th summit in Harare, with Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema as vice-chair.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A multi-storey brick office block with green-trimmed balconies in central Harare, with a Zimbabwean flag on the roof.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Foreign firms in reserved sectors told to comply or lose licences

After inspecting more than 3,000 companies, government says it will suspend or revoke the licences of foreign-owned firms trading in the 17 sectors reserved for Zimbabweans.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A town main street with parked cars outside a white colonial-style building, hills in the distance.

Current AffairsNews report: sourced and attributed

One dead as chrome truck overturns onto car near Zvishavane

One person died and two were injured when a haulage truck carrying chrome ore overturned onto a Toyota Probox at Dadaya turn-off on the Zvishavane–Bulawayo Highway on Sunday.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A quiet two-lane tarred highway running past dry grassland and a rocky hill under a clear sky.

Updated storyBusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Zinara clears US$206m DBSA loan for Plumtree–Mutare highway

Zinara says it has paid off the US$206 million Development Bank of Southern Africa loan that rebuilt the Plumtree–Bulawayo–Harare–Mutare highway.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Sun setting behind a street light over a roadside verge in Harare.

Updated storyCurrent AffairsNews report: sourced and attributed

Harare traffic cameras flag 4.8m offences, checks before any fines

Police say Zimbabwe's new electronic traffic system has flagged about 4.8 million suspected violations, which are being checked before any penalties are issued.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Aerial view of central Harare's office blocks and suburbs.

BusinessNews report: sourced and attributed

Government considering further cut to IMTT, no new rate yet

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube says a further reduction of the 2% tax on electronic transactions is under consideration. No new rate or date has been announced.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A Zimbabwe Republic Police officer in uniform cap with ZRP epaulette

Developing storyCurrent AffairsNews report: sourced and attributed

Mnangagwa grants national firearm amnesty until 12 November

Police say people holding unlicensed, smuggled or illegally acquired guns and ammunition can hand them in at any police station without being questioned until 12 November 2026. Checks will follow.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

The Harare city-centre skyline under a blue, cloudy sky, with rust-red rooftops and a busy commuter minibus rank in the foreground.

Developing storyPoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Tagwirei gets top Zanu PF economic post as Mpofu moves to elders

Kudakwashe Tagwirei has been appointed Zanu PF Secretary for Economic Affairs and Investment Promotion, days after becoming a minister. Obert Mpofu moves to the Council of Elders.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Satellite image of dry, brown farmland in Zimbabwe during the 2024 drought, with a few green irrigated circles

Updated storyPoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

El Niño plan approved as Zimbabwe faces 663,000-tonne grain gap

Cabinet has approved Zimbabwe's El Niño summer plan as the country forecasts a 663,188-tonne cereal shortfall. Updates our 15 Oct story on the US$500m fund.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Tarmac and a yellow edge line on the Harare–Chirundu road near Chinhoyi, with a grassy verge.

Developing storyPoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Police divert trucks off Harare–Chirundu road for Zanu PF conference

ZRP Mashonaland West has ordered heavy trucks off the Harare–Chirundu highway between Chinhoyi and Harare during ZANU PF's conference. Diversion via Chegutu and Norton.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

A smartphone lock screen asking the user to enter a PIN, with a numeric keypad.

Developing storyPoliticsNews report: sourced and attributed

Government probes "unprecedented" wave of WhatsApp account takeovers

Zimbabwe's ICT ministry, POTRAZ and police cyber crime investigators are probing an "unprecedented" wave of WhatsApp Business account takeovers. What we know so far.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Title graphic reading "Zimbabwe's Richest 2026" in gold and white over an illustrated night-time city skyline

MoneyNews report: sourced and attributed

Zimbabwe's Richest People in 2026: Who's Really on Top?

Who are Zimbabwe's richest people in 2026? Strive Masiyiwa leads at $2.2B (Forbes). The rest are reported estimates, and we explain why the numbers vary.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk

Typographic card reading: Developing story. Wicknell Chivayo and wife killed in Marondera helicopter crash, family says. Zimbo Grapevine. Police have not yet formally named the victims.

Developing storyNews report: sourced and attributed

Wicknell Chivayo and wife killed in Marondera helicopter crash, family says

Businessman Wicknell Chivayo, 43, and his wife Lucy "Lulu" Muteke died when a helicopter crashed in Marondera Rural on Wednesday evening, a family spokesperson says. Police have not yet formally named the victims.

By Zimbo Grapevine News Desk