News / Local
Zimbabwe army faces scrutiny over unlawful gold mining operations
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Rusununguko/Nkululeko Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a company owned by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), is allegedly conducting an unauthorized alluvial gold mining operation in Allied Timbers' Tarka Forest, located in Chimanimani. An investigation conducted by The Explorer and The NewsHawks has uncovered that these activities are taking place without the company's consent and lack the required environmental impact assessment (EIA), raising concerns about environmental degradation and potential legal violations.
The investigation indicates that Rusununguko began mining operations in the area in March 2024, sparking outrage among environmental stakeholders. Chimanimani is a designated UNESCO Man and Biosphere Heritage site, recognized as a biosphere reserve in 2021, intended to support sustainable development and promote a harmonious relationship between human communities and nature. The site's current status emphasizes its role in scientific research, environmental education, and eco-tourism, all of which are threatened by the mining activities.
Environmentalists and local villagers have expressed concerns over the negative impact of Rusununguko's operations, which reportedly contribute to river pollution and ecological damage. The company is said to have formed an unclear partnership with Chinese nationals, further complicating the situation.
The operations in Chimanimani appear to be an extension of Rusununguko's activities in Nyamukwarara, a remote area near the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border. There, the company formed a controversial partnership with Lebanese and Chinese investors in September 2023. Like Chimanimani, Nyamukwarara is rich in timber and minerals, including gold.
A memorandum from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), dated September 11, 2023, raises serious security concerns regarding Rusununguko's operations. The document highlights the irregular nature of the company's activities and points to the opening of a previously undesignated route from Mozambique to the mining site. This new corridor reportedly facilitates smuggling activities and may attract illegal miners, contrabandists, money launderers, and even insurgents.
The memorandum notes that Rusununguko opened a road to transport mining equipment from Mozambique to the project site, in partnership with a company called Mutare Project Cooperation, which is registered in Mozambique but not in Zimbabwe. The company is fronted by Lebanese national El Fakih Hussein and Chinese national Ren Wei.
The CIO memo concludes with a warning to headquarters regarding the potential risks associated with Rusununguko's activities, underscoring the need for heightened oversight and intervention.
As the situation develops, the implications for both environmental conservation and community welfare in Chimanimani remain critical, calling for urgent action from authorities to address the alleged illegal mining operations and their associated consequences.
The investigation indicates that Rusununguko began mining operations in the area in March 2024, sparking outrage among environmental stakeholders. Chimanimani is a designated UNESCO Man and Biosphere Heritage site, recognized as a biosphere reserve in 2021, intended to support sustainable development and promote a harmonious relationship between human communities and nature. The site's current status emphasizes its role in scientific research, environmental education, and eco-tourism, all of which are threatened by the mining activities.
Environmentalists and local villagers have expressed concerns over the negative impact of Rusununguko's operations, which reportedly contribute to river pollution and ecological damage. The company is said to have formed an unclear partnership with Chinese nationals, further complicating the situation.
The operations in Chimanimani appear to be an extension of Rusununguko's activities in Nyamukwarara, a remote area near the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border. There, the company formed a controversial partnership with Lebanese and Chinese investors in September 2023. Like Chimanimani, Nyamukwarara is rich in timber and minerals, including gold.
The memorandum notes that Rusununguko opened a road to transport mining equipment from Mozambique to the project site, in partnership with a company called Mutare Project Cooperation, which is registered in Mozambique but not in Zimbabwe. The company is fronted by Lebanese national El Fakih Hussein and Chinese national Ren Wei.
The CIO memo concludes with a warning to headquarters regarding the potential risks associated with Rusununguko's activities, underscoring the need for heightened oversight and intervention.
As the situation develops, the implications for both environmental conservation and community welfare in Chimanimani remain critical, calling for urgent action from authorities to address the alleged illegal mining operations and their associated consequences.
Source - online
