20 November 2025
New Zimbabwe (London) By Anna Chibamu
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –
A Zimbabwean senator has warned that some foreign investors are displacing villagers, damaging farmland, and operating without conducting mandatory environmental impact assessments, leaving communities uncompensated and their land unrepaired. The government acknowledges the problem and says the new Mines and Minerals Bill will require consent, proper relocation, and EIAs before mining begins, with inspectors to be deployed to halt illegal operations.
Keywords:
Zimbabwe, foreign investors, community displacement, mining impacts, environmental impact assessment (EIA), Mines and Minerals Bill, land rights, compensation, rural livelihoods, illegal mining practices.
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Mining activities in several communities have taken a disturbing turn, with foreign investors accused of displacing villagers, disrupting livelihoods, and failing to compensate affected families or rehabilitate damaged land, Mashonaland East Senator Chief Chikwaka has warned.
Speaking in the Senate recently, Goromonzi’s Chief Chikwaka said that while Zimbabwe remains open for business, some foreign miners were “wreaking havoc” in the communities where they operate.
“What is government policy regarding the allocation of licences where you find miners displacing local communities? This is affecting people’s livelihoods. You would find that people are just relocated without improving their livelihoods.
“What is the government policy in terms of people who are being displaced by mining activities, where you find, them being relocated to areas which are not conducive?” he said.
His concerns come just two months after President Emmerson Mnangagwa directed Parliament to expedite the long-overdue Mines and Minerals Bill to address ongoing disputes between miners, farmers, and communities.
Responding to the issue, Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister responsible for Oil and Gas Research and other Strategic Minerals Exploration, Caleb Makwiranzou, acknowledged the challenges.
The Deputy Minister said, “Before giving permission to miners, we require a report, which is called the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is a report, which looks at the community which is going to be affected, and where they are going to be relocated. If they going to receive houses where they are going to be relocated, then after getting that report, that is where we allow mining companies to go ahead.”
Makwiranzou also highlighted provisions in the new law.
“I want to inform this House that the new law [H. B. 1, 2025] allows that if someone has their field or their farm and there is a need for mining to be done in that field, that person is given the first option. The person is asked whether they allow the miners, and then they can discuss with whoever wants to mine if there is an allocation of shares. The person can then be given shares.
“On the other hand, if that person is to be relocated, it should be consensual. They must give consent because the previous law was causing disputes where there was conflict between the Minerals Act and the Agricultural Act,” said Makwiranzou.
However, Chief Chikwaka argued that, in reality, no environmental impact assessments were being conducted before mining begins.
“There is no Environmental Impact Assessment, which is being done. You would find that miners are just coming into the community. They start drilling in people’s fields. They start mining and excavating in people’s fields and leave such fields open.
“They do not cover the pits and the original farmer cannot farm on his land because there are pits. There is a need for consultation with stakeholders,” Chief Chikwaka said.
Makwiranzou stressed that operating without an EIA is illegal, adding that government would send inspectors to the affected communities and block the mining activities.
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