Investment opportunities will arise in two main areas in Zimbabwe in the next decade: renewable energy and petroleum. The government has provided incentives to the energy sector and awarded several IPP licenses to different companies, but very few of these projects have been executed. The delay in implementing these projects has been caused by a lack of funding in light of perceived currency risks.
Ronald is a Partner at Manokore Attorneys. He has extensive experience in Projects and Infrastructure, with a particular specialization in Public Private Partnerships (PPP) across various sectors; infrastructure development, power projects, public procurement and dispute resolution.
Ronald has advised both private clients who include DFIs, lenders and sponsors, project developers, as well as various government departments and procuring entities, from pre-feasibility stage up to project approval by central authorities.
Ronald has emerged as one of only a few PPP lawyers in Zimbabwe. He is an IFLR 1000 ranked lawyer within the Energy and Infrastructure Sector. Ronald is also a Corporate Rescue Practitioner and Liquidator registered with the Council of Estate Administrators and Insolvency Practitioners. He is also a full member of the newly established Insolvency & Restructuring Association of Zimbabwe (IRAZ).
Experience has included advising:
- A consortium of local banks in Insolvency proceedings against Romsdal (Pvt) Ltd for debts valued at USD33 million;
- A banking client in insolvency proceedings against Zimasco (Private) Limited, a chrome mining company, for the recovery of a debt valued at USD12 million, culminating in a restructuring plan by the creditors;
- As a team member, Lesaffre International in its USD20 million acquisition of Anchor Yeast in Zimbabwe;
- A local bank on a debt-assumption and other ancillary agreements with the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (ZAMCO) in respect of a USD26 million debt;
- As a team member, Tian Li (Hong Kong) in its acquisition of assets in Zisco-Steel (Pvt) Ltd culminating in the drafting of the Zisco-Steel Debt Assumption Act and subsequent investment in the sum of USD1 billion over the next 50 years;
- Zimborders Consortium on a USD240 million project in respect of the Beitbridge Border Post Modernisation and Expansion Project undertaken as a PPP;
- Tel-One (Pvt) Limited on a FTTH Project undertaken as a PPP valued at USD50 million;
- China Export & Credit Insurance Corp. in various financial recoveries with the aggregate sum of USD12 million;
- Cardinal Corporation in real estate related disputes valued at USD40 million; and
- ZTE (China) in a tender dispute with Huawei Technologies (China), before the Administrative and Supreme Courts of Zimbabwe.
Professional Qualifications
- Registered Legal Practitioner of the High Court and Supreme Court of Zimbabwe (2010)
- Registered Legal Practitioner with the Law Society of Zimbabwe (2010)
Education
- University of Zimbabwe, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) Degree (2010)
- Certificate in Social Science Research Methodology (OSSREA) (2009)
- Certificate in World Bank: PPPs- How they can help deliver better services (2015)
- Certificate in FIDIC Suite of Contracts: Module 2
Recognition
- Notable Practitioner in Energy and Infrastructure: IFLR1000 (2018, 2019)
Prior Experience
- 2020 to date, Partner, Manokore Attorneys, DLA Piper Africa, Zimbabwe
- 2014 to 2020, Senior Associate, Manokore Attorneys, DLA Piper Africa, Zimbabwe
- 2012 to 2014, Associate, Zimbabwe-based law firm
- 2011 to 2012, Associate, Zimbabwe-based law firm
- 2008 to 2010, Legal Intern, Zimbabwe-based law firm
Memberships
- Law Society of Zimbabwe
- Insolvency & Restructuring Association of Zimbabwe (IRAZ) Practitioners of Zimbabwe
- Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA)
- ICC Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF)
- Young ICCA- International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
Concerned about the effects if the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa’s dispute resolution landscape, the Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA), bringing together arbitration practitioners in Africa under 40 years of age, launched its Protocol on Virtual Hearings in Africa (the Protocol) in April 2020. AYA was formed in 2015 with the mission to provide a platform for the young members of the African arbitration community to meet, exchange ideas and learn from peers and more experienced arbitrators and arbitration practitioners.
Two DLA Piper Africa lawyers have been recognised by the Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA) in their annual “Africa’s 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners” Award 2020.
Governments, the world over, often provide incentives to attract private sector involvement in public-private partnership (PPP) projects. Zimbabwe is no different.
DLA Piper Africa is uniquely positioned to handle Alternative Dispute Resolution cases in the African region as it has lawyers based in different countries who understand local nuances and policies.