The move comes as pressure mounts from citizens and business associations who argue that foreign competition — particularly from Chinese, Nigerian, Rwandan and Congolese entrepreneurs — is crowding out local operators in retail, small-scale mining, and manufacturing. At the heart of the debate is Zimbabwe’s long-standing Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, which provides for certain sectors to be reserved exclusively for locals. Similar concerns have been raised in small-scale mining, traditionally a sector reserved for locals but now penetrated by Chinese operators engaging in alluvial gold panning. “Why is brick-making or small-scale mining open to foreign investors when it was specifically meant for community empowerment? While government insists foreign direct investment (FDI) is critical for economic recovery, critics argue that “protectionism” is equally necessary to shield vulnerable local sectors.