Zimbabwe faces a dual crisis of severe energy shortages and a chronic housing deficit, both of which present significant opportunities for debt fund and private equity investment (“Private Credit”). Renewable energy and real estate are gaining prominence as core and core plus investments respectively. Private Credit can offer flexible and innovative funding to realise high returns. The energy crisis is stark, with frequent power outages at times lasting up to 18 hours a day due to an aging infrastructure. According to the World Bank, only 40% of Zimbabweans have access to electricity, with rural electrification rates as low as 19%. Some listed companies have reported a 20-40% increase in generator fuel usage in 2024 alone, owing to extended loadshedding.
Takunda Gumbu is part of the projects, infrastructure, and alternative dispute resolution practice groups. Takunda advises clients on project development, project financing, and commercial dispute resolution in various sectors, including power, land development, and banking and finance. He is available as counsel or arbitrator in arbitration proceedings.Prior to joining DLA Piper, Takunda worked as an in-house counsel for a leading conglomerate in Namibia, where he handled complex contractual and regulatory matters in renewable energy, real estate and hospitality. Takunda is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has authored several publications on international commercial arbitration, investment arbitration, construction, and energy.
Takunda has experience in matters involving commercial law, project finance, corporate finance, real estate, renewable energy, infrastructure, arbitration, and private mergers & acquisitions.
LLB, LLM (Candidate)
Member – Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Member – Young ICCA
Introduction When US President Joe Biden, announced the ending of the Zimbabwe sanctions program, a wave of euphoria quickly spread across the country. The lifting of sanctions provided renewable energy investors with access to the previously closed international capital markets. Many projects were struggling to reach financial close as funders were unwilling to risk inadvertently violating US sanctions by financing Zimbabwean projects. While sanctions opened up international markets, Basel III Endgame could spoil the party for the over 100 Independent Power Producers (“IPP”), who are licensed to generate electricity in the country but are failing to obtain financing.