Zimbabwe: Construction of the Chegutu cement plant by Chinese investor Shuntal Investment has reportedly reached the halfway stage, with production scheduled to begin in early 2026, according to the government-owned newspaper The Sunday Mail. The plant will produce 800,000t/yr of cement and is the second cement plant under development in Mashonaland West, alongside WIH-Zim’s Magunje plant, also set to open in 2026.
Shuntal Investment general manager Zhou Bin said the project is on schedule. “The entire project is expected to be completed before the onset of the 2025/2026 rainy season. This timing is deliberate so that production will not be disrupted during the critical rainy months,” he said
He added that the plant will adopt modern technology, including a pipe spray cooling system, bag-type dust removers reportedly capable of reducing 99% of dust emissions, and fully enclosed, spill-proof production lines. Raw materials will be sourced from the nearby Lambourne quarry site, reducing Zimbabwe’s dependence on imports. Around 200 local workers are currently employed, building staff housing, storage facilities, warehouses and plant infrastructure.
Ropafadzo Chafesuka, a female truck driver at the site, said 'There are several female workers here, and this has empowered us. We are certain that once the plant starts production, more women will be employed, reducing early marriages and helping fight drug and substance abuse.”
Local press in Zimbabwe previously reported in August 2025 that Shuntai Holdings was in a legal battle with a local school over the construction of the plant 497m from the school’s boundary. Construction has reportedly continued despite a High Court judge ordering construction to cease.
