AVM Africa Pvt Limited has officially launched and unveiled a new Yutong-shaped bus worth over US$130 000.
The bus was officially unveiled by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba, who hailed the company for such a milestone.
The bus was also handed over to the AVM client, St Paul’s Amandlethu AMR High School from Lupane.
Speaking during the handover event, Ambassador Chifamba said Zimbabweans should consume what the country produces.
He also commended AVM Africa for manufacturing buses using locally sourced materials and urged other automotive companies to collaborate and adopt similar initiatives to meet local market needs.
“Currently, the Government is implementing the National Development Strategy 2 (2026-2030) and the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (2026-2030) as key policy frameworks for accelerating industrialisation, promoting value addition and beneficiation, strengthening local production and enhancing the competitiveness of Zimbabwean enterprises.
“These frameworks seek to transform Zimbabwe’s productive sectors by encouraging investment, expanding domestic value chains, increasing local content, creating employment and promoting the production of goods for both domestic and export markets.”
“This unveiling therefore represents more than the introduction of a new product.
“It represents the renewal of a manufacturing capability that has formed part of Zimbabwe’s industrial base for generations.
“It demonstrates that our existing industrial capacity can be revitalised, modernised and repositioned to meet domestic requirements and compete in regional markets.
“Government has placed industrialisation, value addition, local content, investment and productive capacity at the centre of its economic development agenda.
“The automotive industry is particularly important because of its extensive linkages with other sectors, including the steel, electrical components, plastics, rubber, glass, upholstery, batteries, engineering and other supporting industries.
He commended AVM Africa for its distinguished history in Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector.
“For more than six decades, the company has contributed to the manufacture of buses, truck bodies and other commercial vehicles for both the public and private sectors.
“I am encouraged that AVM Africa is sourcing a number of components locally, including seats, upholstery, steel, batteries, wiring and paint.
“This is precisely the type of industrial linkage that Government seeks to promote.
“When we manufacture a bus locally, we are not simply producing a finished vehicle.
“We are creating demand for local suppliers, supporting jobs, developing skills, strengthening technological capabilities as well as retaining greater value within the Zimbabwean economy.
“I therefore encourage AVM Africa to continue investing in engineering capability, quality assurance, testing as well as product development and continuous improvement.
“Our ultimate objective is for the words “Made in Zimbabwe” to be synonymous with quality, reliability and industrial capability.”
Managing Director Jacob Kupa called for local industry to support the manufacturing industry and limit imports.
“People have been importing buses, but it’s now locally available, and there is no need for people to go out there to import.
“Going forward, as I said, it is the goal of which we have more than 90 companies feeding into the manufacture of these buses, which basically means throughout the whole country, there are suppliers feeding into the manufacture of this bus.
“So, by not giving bus orders to AVM, we are also depriving the 90 companies, which basically means we are de-industrialising.
“These companies are all over, and it basically means we are killing our own manufacturing industries.
“We are looking, as AVM, looking forward to support from all stakeholders, with the government being number one, for the purchase of vehicles.”
