Zimbabwe and Belarus have signed a landmark agreement to establish a bus assembly plant in Harare. The announcement was made by Jacob Kupa, managing director of local bus manufacturer. This is reported by
the Herald, a partner of TV BRICS. 

Belarus will supply an initial shipment of 300 bus kits in the coming weeks, while Zimbabwe’s Manhize plant will provide the steel. Once the kits arrive in Harare, local technicians will assemble them into complete buses. This will create jobs for Zimbabwean workers, reduce the need for imported finished vehicles, and retain more value within the country’s economy.

Discussions are also underway to apply the same kit-and-build model to tractors. Belarus has already delivered over 2000 high-tech tractors and combine harvesters to Zimbabwe, boosting last season’s harvests.

The two countries signed additional cooperation agreements covering media, agriculture, transport, and women’s empowerment, and agreed that the Harare plant will serve as a regional export hub.

Construction starts later this year, with production set to begin in early 2026. Observers expect the plant to attract more foreign partners and spawn related industries, such as parts manufacturing and vehicle maintenance, solidifying Zimbabwe’s role as a manufacturing centre in Southern Africa.

Photo:
iStock