By Fortunate Black
MUTARE — Economic pressure is tightening its grip on Manicaland, with visible signs of distress emerging across the retail and industrial sectors as businesses struggle to survive and residents question official claims that the economy is stabilising.
At OK Zimbabwe’s Mutare branch, shelves were noticeably bare this week, fuelling widespread speculation that the outlet may be on the brink of closure.
Workers at the store, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cited persistent cash-flow challenges and difficulties in restocking basic commodities.
“Customers come every day asking if we are shutting down because there is nothing on the shelves,” said one employee. “We are just told to keep reporting for duty.”
The uncertainty surrounding OK Mutare has heightened anxiety in a city already grappling with job losses and shrinking economic activity.
Further compounding fears is the reported instability at Tongaat Hulett, whose operations are critical to employment in parts of Manicaland and neighbouring provinces. Any closure or downsizing, workers warn, would have devastating ripple effects on families and local economies.
The province has already felt the impact of corporate exits following the withdrawal of Choppies from Zimbabwe, which left scores of workers in Mutare and surrounding towns without income.
Residents also report a surge in robberies targeting shops and banking halls in Mutare, Sakubva and Dangamvura — a trend many link to rising unemployment and deepening poverty.
“There is hunger out there,” said a Sakubva resident. “People are desperate. You can’t say inflation is going down when shops are empty and companies are closing.”
The deteriorating situation has sparked heated debate across Manicaland, with some residents calling for political continuity through a presidential term extension to complete development projects under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Others, however, argue that extending terms without meaningful economic reform risks worsening the crisis.
As the situation unfolds, authorities are yet to issue a clear response to growing concerns from Manicaland residents, who say their immediate priority is jobs, food security and economic stability — not political rhetoric.