The newly commissioned Muchesu Coal Mining Company in Binga District, Matabeleland North Province, plans to construct a new railway line linking its plant with Kwekwe, as part of a broader investment drive to enhance economic activity and trade in the country.
According to The Herald, the plant will produce 10,000 tonnes of coke per month, and with such volumes, an investment in rail infrastructure is critical for facilitating transport and logistics efficiency. The company is owned by a UK-headquartered investor, Contango Holdings, which has so far invested US$20 million in the project.
President Mnangagwa officially commissioned the new mining venture on Monday. In his address, President Mnangagwa said:
They (Muchesu Mine) have promised to build a railway line from here in Binga to Kwekwe. They have also told me they will generate electricity that is enough to feed the country.
They have also promised to build quality roads, I say congratulations. Please do not die before you fulfil these promises.
He said the government will support the project, which is in line with its economic transformation agenda and the country’s vision to achieve an upper-middle-income status by 2030.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who also attended the event stated that the commissioning of the Muchesu mine is a significant milestone for Binga, which will transform its economic fortunes. He added that the investment is a culmination of the re-engagement efforts spearheaded by President Mnangagwa, and the mine is a huge leap towards attaining a US$12 billion mining economy by year-end.
Similarly, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando said the coming onstream of Muchesu is a reflection of the success of the mantra, “Zimbabwe is open for business” and President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of “leaving no one and no place behind.”