Rushwaya re-elected ZMF president for 7 years

Small-scale miners have re-elected Henrietta Rushwaya as president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) for another seven-year term, citing her leadership and contribution to the growth of the mining sector.

Rushwaya, who has led the country's largest small-scale miners' representative organisation since 2018, was re-elected in Harare on Friday.

The election was attended by Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura, who was represented by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe.

In her acceptance speech, Rushwaya thanked members for renewing their confidence in her leadership, saying the decision reflected recognition of the work undertaken by the federation.

She pledged to intensify efforts to combat drug and substance abuse among small-scale miners, which she identified as one of the major challenges facing the sector.

"Being re-elected is not child’s play. I want to thank you for re-electing me for seven years," she said.

"We have been working tirelessly to make our country great through gold production. This re-election is not purely on vote buying or rigging, but it is purely on hard work and focus. I am pledging to deal with drug abuse among small-scale miners."

Rushwaya first assumed the ZMF presidency in 2018 and has since become a prominent figure in Zimbabwe's mining industry.

The Zimbabwe Miners Federation represents more than two million small-scale miners, making it one of the country's largest mining organisations.

The small-scale mining sector plays a significant role in Zimbabwe's gold industry, accounting for more than 60 percent of gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refinery, the country's sole authorised gold buyer and exporter.