Uproar over Tungwarara mining deal

Uproar is mounting in Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector following the award of an exclusive contract to Special Presidential Investment Adviser Paul Tungwarara for river ecosystem rehabilitation at Muroodzi River in Mashonaland Central Province. Critics say the deal, executed through Tungwarara’s firm, Prevail Group of Companies, was granted under opaque circumstances, raising allegations of cronyism and corruption.

According to industry sources, the contract was issued without competitive bidding or public transparency. Artisanal miners, who produce roughly 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s locally mined gold, argue that the move undermines trust in government regulation and could provide opportunities for illicit gold extraction under the guise of environmental rehabilitation.

"There was no tendering or competitive process. He was simply given the contract because he is the President’s right-hand man," a representative of artisanal miners told The NewsHawks. "Without transparency, there will be no accountability, and it’s fertile ground for looting. How do we know Tungwarara will focus on rehabilitation and not gold mining?"

Cabinet reportedly granted Tungwarara exclusive rights as a "prototype" initiative, ostensibly aimed at restoring river ecosystems and desilting operations in the Mazowe District’s gold-rich areas. The project comes in the wake of a government ban on alluvial riverbed mining, formalised through Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024, which prohibits riverbed extraction to prevent environmental degradation, mercury contamination, and siltation of waterways.

While the Tungwarara contract is framed as an environmental measure, critics argue it effectively creates a monopoly, requiring other miners—including foreign-owned operations—to pay royalties of 10 to 15 percent to operate in affected areas. The move has angered artisanal miners and some state security personnel, who view it as a potential avenue for politically connected individuals to exploit natural resources at the expense of ordinary miners.

The artisanal mining sector remains a crucial lifeline for many Zimbabweans, providing direct employment for hundreds of thousands and supporting millions more indirectly. Yet, environmental concerns and social conflicts have prompted repeated government crackdowns, leaving small-scale miners caught between economic necessity and regulatory enforcement.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between environmental protection, political influence, and livelihoods in Zimbabwe’s gold mining industry, and raises questions about governance, transparency, and equitable access to natural resources.