Mnangagwa orders govt official to act on graft

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has publicly directed newly appointed Mines and Mining Development permanent secretary Thomas Utete Wushe to investigate and resolve longstanding disputes affecting small-scale miners, amid allegations of widespread corruption and administrative inefficiencies within the ministry.

Speaking before thousands of artisanal miners at Magaya Mining Company in Chegutu on Tuesday, Mnangagwa challenged the ministry's new accounting officer to urgently address complaints surrounding mining claims and licensing disputes that have plagued the sector for years.

Her remarks came after a passionate address by Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya, who accused the ministry of mishandling mining claims and allowing vast mineral-rich areas to remain locked up under inactive concessions.

"These artisanal miners don't have any place to mine, but we have areas with gold, with some companies holding them since 1890 while doing nothing," Rushwaya told the gathering.

"From Mberengwa to Kariba, there is vast land for gold mining, but the ministry is sitting on several mining paper disputes."

Following Rushwaya's presentation, the First Lady summoned Wushe to stand beside her and issued a direct instruction for him to investigate allegations involving provincial mining offices and licensing processes.

"You are just new, I understand, but you are now at work," Mnangagwa said.

"In a week, you will be knowing what is happening. There is a lot of work to investigate what you called the provincial mining directors. There is a lot of corruption.

"I am told you are sitting on crucial papers. This should be addressed and this is not acceptable."

The public rebuke underscores growing frustration among small-scale miners who have long accused officials of delaying the processing of mining applications, mishandling disputes and facilitating double allocations of mining claims.

The Mines and Mining Development Ministry has repeatedly faced allegations of corruption and inefficiency, with artisanal miners and prospectors arguing that bureaucratic bottlenecks have prevented them from accessing productive mining ground.

In previous years, groups representing prospectors petitioned the ministry over directives they said undermined their operations, while the Zimbabwe Prospectors Union accused corrupt officials of fueling disputes through the double allocation of claims.

The concerns come at a time when the small-scale mining sector has become increasingly important to Zimbabwe's gold industry.

Former Mines minister Winston Chitando previously warned that the country was losing significant amounts of gold through smuggling and illicit trade, estimating that as much as 40 percent of potential gold revenue could be escaping through illegal channels.

Chitando also noted that small-scale miners accounted for an average of 68 percent of monthly gold deliveries during the early months of 2025, highlighting the sector's critical contribution to national mineral output.

The public intervention by the First Lady is likely to intensify scrutiny of the ministry's handling of mining claims and licensing procedures, particularly as artisanal miners continue to push for greater access to mineral-rich land and a more transparent allocation system.

For many miners, the appointment of Wushe presents an opportunity for reform. However, stakeholders say meaningful change will depend on whether the ministry can address allegations of corruption, resolve long-running disputes and unlock idle claims that could boost production and livelihoods across the country.

The mining community will now be watching closely to see whether the new permanent secretary acts on the concerns raised and delivers the reforms demanded by miners and publicly endorsed by the First Lady.