Just a few years ago, Makaha in Mudzi District was a quiet, overlooked rural village—barely a dot on the map. Today, it is fast becoming one of Zimbabwe’s most dramatic examples of grassroots urban growth, where the sound of construction now competes with the roar of mining activity. Concrete structures, service stations, new suburbs, and rising mansions are redefining a once-forgotten landscape.
By Tinotenda Sungiso
The pace of transformation is astonishing. At the heart of Makaha, where a handful of tuckshops once stood, a vibrant commercial centre has emerged. Four newly built service stations now dominate the main junction—powerful symbols of a booming local economy. These fuel stations, all constructed within four years, service a continuous flow of vehicles transporting people, goods, and ambition.
But Makaha’s rebirth goes far beyond fuel and traffic. Elegant mansions with ornate fences are rising across family plots, signalling a new wave of prosperity. This is no longer a remote rural settlement; it is a town taking shape—built not by government decree, but by the wealth generated from gold.
A Ripple Effect Spreading Beyond Makaha
Makaha’s gold-driven boom has spilled into neighbouring communities, reshaping the wider Mudzi region.
Mutondo Shops: Stirring Back to Life
Though still developing, Mutondo is no longer dormant. The impact of “gold money” is visible in expanding shops, improved infrastructure, and renewed business activity.
Kambanje: Unplanned Suburbs on the Rise
Perhaps the clearest sign of explosive growth is in Kambanje. Former agricultural land is now dotted with new houses, shops, and rapidly expanding residential areas—most emerging outside formal council planning. This population surge is fuelled directly by mining and the commerce it generates.
This is no simple mining camp; it is the birth of a fully fledged urban centre. Local businesses now extend far beyond mining supplies—they sell building materials, household goods, groceries, and everyday essentials consumed at record levels.
Gold: The Engine Behind the Makaha Boom
While the region may hold potential for lithium in the future, the current driving force is undeniably gold. The mansions, new shops, and all four service stations owe their existence to the mineral wealth extracted from surrounding hills.
This is a modern Zimbabwean gold rush—one where wealth is being reinvested directly into permanent infrastructure, strengthening local commerce and creating a sustainable economic ecosystem.
Makaha at a Crossroads: Growth Needs Planning
Makaha has achieved, through sheer community-driven effort, what many designated growth points have failed to realise: a vibrant, self-sustaining economic hub emerging from the ground up.
The entrepreneurship is here.
The capital is here.
The people are here.
But one essential element remains missing—proper infrastructure and organization.
The most urgent need is a well-planned road network. Improved roads would:
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Reduce transport costs
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Attract further investment
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Open regional markets
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Support orderly expansion
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Strengthen Makaha’s integration into national development
With the right planning and support, Makaha could evolve into a modern, organized, and beautiful rural town.
A Lesson for Zimbabwe: Growth Sometimes Starts Where You Least Expect It
Makaha’s story shows the untapped economic power that lies in Zimbabwe’s rural areas—released when opportunity meets local initiative.
The community has already laid a strong foundation. Now it is up to local and national authorities to recognise this extraordinary organic growth and help guide it into long-term, sustainable development.
Makaha is building itself brick by brick, dollar by dollar.With strategic support, it could become a model for rural-led development—a shining example of what happens when gold meets grit, ambition, and concrete.