Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabweans must stop Chinese plunder of our country and destruction of our future
3 hrs ago | Views
When will Zimbabweans finally rise and say enough is enough?
Zimbabwe is a nation blessed with breathtaking landscapes, abundant natural resources, and a rich heritage that stretches back centuries.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
From the verdant slopes of Mutare's Christmas Pass to the iconic peaks of Chimanimani, Nyanga, and the Vumba mountains, our land has always been a source of pride, sustenance, and inspiration.
Yet today, this great land is under siege-not from war, drought, or famine, but from those who claim to be investors while in reality acting as predators, stripping our country bare.
The latest reports of Chinese mining companies tearing into Christmas Pass and obliterating farms in rural Zimbabwe are more than shocking-they are a clarion call for every Zimbabwean who values the survival of this nation and the well-being of future generations.
In Mutare, Christmas Pass-once a symbol of natural grandeur and a gateway to the city-has been reduced to a wounded shadow of its former self.
Thick woodland that once clung to the hillside is now replaced by raw, exposed soil, gaping excavation scars, and piles of displaced earth.
The telecommunications towers perched above Hillcrest stand as silent witnesses to the relentless destruction.
The images are not just photographs-they are the visual testimony of a nation being pillaged.
Conservationists warn that if unchecked, the ecological balance of the region and the cultural heritage of Mutare's landmark will be irreversibly damaged.
Meanwhile, in the Midlands, farmers like Israel Kapondoro have endured a level of devastation that borders on criminal.
His entire tomato farm, including the borehole that supplied water, was crushed by Chinese miners who reportedly boasted that they could bribe Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials to avoid accountability.
It is almost impossible to overstate the human and environmental cost of such reckless operations.
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has extensively documented the environmental damage caused by Chinese mining companies across Zimbabwe.
In Hwange, Marange, and Mutoko, communities have reported severe degradation, including polluted rivers, deforestation, and eroded lands.
In Hwange, Chinese-owned coal operations have displaced communities and contaminated waterways, while in Marange, activities by Anjin Investments have restricted access to ancestral lands and left rivers unsafe for human and livestock use.
In Mutoko, over 30 Chinese-linked companies have scarred the landscape and disrupted local livelihoods.
Many of these operations proceed without proper environmental impact assessments or meaningful consultation with affected communities, fueling mistrust and resentment.
CNRG's research reveals a troubling pattern of environmental degradation, disregard for local populations, and violations of labor and environmental regulations by these companies.
The organization has repeatedly called for urgent government intervention to enforce environmental laws, ensure fair compensation for displaced communities, and hold destructive companies accountable.
These reports underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in Zimbabwe's mining sector to protect both the environment and the rights of ordinary citizens.
For ordinary Zimbabweans who rely on farming, rivers, and clean land to sustain their families and livestock, this is not merely an attack on property-it is an attack on life itself.
What is most alarming is the impunity with which these foreign operators act.
They appear to operate under the belief that Zimbabwe is their colonial outpost.
Can anyone imagine a Zimbabwean mining company being allowed to tear down the Great Wall of China in search of minerals?
So why is our own government permitting the destruction of Zimbabwe's mountains and rivers?
In fact, the more they extract, pollute, and destroy, the more they profit, all while ordinary citizens are left to bear the consequences: poisoned rivers, degraded land, landslides, and, ultimately, the loss of livelihoods.
We are told that billions of dollars are being earned from Zimbabwe's resources, yet ordinary Zimbabweans see none of these gains.
Meanwhile, our mountains, rivers, and farms are reduced to wastelands.
Consider the broader implications: if Chinese companies are audaciously mining Christmas Pass and Shurugwi's Boterekwa, what stops them from encroaching upon world-renowned sites like Victoria Falls or the pristine wilderness of Chimanimani, Nyanga, and the Vumba?
There are already disturbing reports of prospecting for coal inside Hwange National Park.
When iconic wildlife and heritage sites are jeopardized, Zimbabwe risks not just ecological collapse but cultural and economic devastation.
Tourism, which has historically been one of our major sources of revenue, will suffer irreparable damage.
The loss of biodiversity, coupled with environmental degradation, will leave us with nothing tangible to offer future generations except barren land and poisoned rivers.
Equally disturbing is the apparent complicity-or at least indifference-of those entrusted to protect the country.
When the Environmental Management Agency, the custodians of our environment, are allegedly bribed, silent, or intimidated, the very institutions designed to safeguard Zimbabwe's future fail.
This lack of oversight is a betrayal of public trust.
If authorities cannot or will not intervene against destructive foreign operators, then it falls upon the citizens themselves to demand accountability, to speak out, and to protect what is rightfully theirs.
The destruction inflicted by these mining companies is not only environmental; it is social and economic.
Families are forced off their ancestral lands, losing access to the rivers that sustained their crops and livestock.
Communities are stripped of their ability to sustain themselves, left to confront the grim reality of environmental contamination and economic ruin.
Generations of Zimbabweans could inherit nothing but scars on the land and toxic water-a legacy of plunder masquerading as investment.
It is crucial to challenge the narrative that these operations are beneficial simply because they generate revenue.
Revenue for whom?
Certainly not for Zimbabweans.
While these companies reap billions, our country is left with nothing tangible-no lasting infrastructure, no rehabilitation of mined areas, and no meaningful economic empowerment for local communities.
This is not investment; it is extraction at its most vicious, a form of legalized plunder cushioned by the veneer of foreign diplomacy and economic engagement.
Zimbabwe cannot afford to remain passive.
We are at a crossroads: continue to allow our mountains, rivers, and farms to be ravaged, or rise as custodians of our land.
The government of Zimbabwe and other relevant authorities must act decisively.
Mining operations in sensitive ecological and heritage zones must be suspended immediately, and full-scale environmental impact assessments must be conducted.
Those who have acted illegally should face prosecution.
Beyond enforcement, there must be a commitment to restore the damage already inflicted.
But even more, Zimbabweans must demand systemic change.
Transparency, accountability, and responsible environmental governance cannot be optional.
Foreign investors must understand that the resources of this country are not theirs to pillage.
Zimbabwe is more than a repository of minerals-it is home to communities, cultures, and ecosystems that deserve protection.
Without urgent action, we risk a future in which the country we call home is rendered unrecognizable, its wealth hoarded by outsiders while its people suffer.
The plunder of Christmas Pass, Boterekwa, and rural areas should serve as a warning: our mountains, rivers, and heritage sites are not expendable.
They are the lifeblood of this nation, and we cannot afford to sacrifice them for short-term gains.
Zimbabweans must unite to safeguard our natural legacy, confront the reckless exploitation of foreign companies, and hold our authorities accountable.
Otherwise, when the Chinese leave, they may take our minerals-but they will leave behind a country stripped of its soul, its wildlife, and its future.
Zimbabweans are the rightful custodians of their land.
It is now up to us to ensure that our mountains continue to stand, our rivers continue to flow, and our children inherit a nation that is whole, vibrant, and alive.
If we fail in this duty, there will be no country left to speak of-literally.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Zimbabwe is a nation blessed with breathtaking landscapes, abundant natural resources, and a rich heritage that stretches back centuries.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
From the verdant slopes of Mutare's Christmas Pass to the iconic peaks of Chimanimani, Nyanga, and the Vumba mountains, our land has always been a source of pride, sustenance, and inspiration.
Yet today, this great land is under siege-not from war, drought, or famine, but from those who claim to be investors while in reality acting as predators, stripping our country bare.
The latest reports of Chinese mining companies tearing into Christmas Pass and obliterating farms in rural Zimbabwe are more than shocking-they are a clarion call for every Zimbabwean who values the survival of this nation and the well-being of future generations.
In Mutare, Christmas Pass-once a symbol of natural grandeur and a gateway to the city-has been reduced to a wounded shadow of its former self.
Thick woodland that once clung to the hillside is now replaced by raw, exposed soil, gaping excavation scars, and piles of displaced earth.
The telecommunications towers perched above Hillcrest stand as silent witnesses to the relentless destruction.
The images are not just photographs-they are the visual testimony of a nation being pillaged.
Conservationists warn that if unchecked, the ecological balance of the region and the cultural heritage of Mutare's landmark will be irreversibly damaged.
Meanwhile, in the Midlands, farmers like Israel Kapondoro have endured a level of devastation that borders on criminal.
His entire tomato farm, including the borehole that supplied water, was crushed by Chinese miners who reportedly boasted that they could bribe Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials to avoid accountability.
It is almost impossible to overstate the human and environmental cost of such reckless operations.
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has extensively documented the environmental damage caused by Chinese mining companies across Zimbabwe.
In Hwange, Marange, and Mutoko, communities have reported severe degradation, including polluted rivers, deforestation, and eroded lands.
In Hwange, Chinese-owned coal operations have displaced communities and contaminated waterways, while in Marange, activities by Anjin Investments have restricted access to ancestral lands and left rivers unsafe for human and livestock use.
In Mutoko, over 30 Chinese-linked companies have scarred the landscape and disrupted local livelihoods.
Many of these operations proceed without proper environmental impact assessments or meaningful consultation with affected communities, fueling mistrust and resentment.
CNRG's research reveals a troubling pattern of environmental degradation, disregard for local populations, and violations of labor and environmental regulations by these companies.
The organization has repeatedly called for urgent government intervention to enforce environmental laws, ensure fair compensation for displaced communities, and hold destructive companies accountable.
These reports underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in Zimbabwe's mining sector to protect both the environment and the rights of ordinary citizens.
For ordinary Zimbabweans who rely on farming, rivers, and clean land to sustain their families and livestock, this is not merely an attack on property-it is an attack on life itself.
What is most alarming is the impunity with which these foreign operators act.
They appear to operate under the belief that Zimbabwe is their colonial outpost.
Can anyone imagine a Zimbabwean mining company being allowed to tear down the Great Wall of China in search of minerals?
So why is our own government permitting the destruction of Zimbabwe's mountains and rivers?
In fact, the more they extract, pollute, and destroy, the more they profit, all while ordinary citizens are left to bear the consequences: poisoned rivers, degraded land, landslides, and, ultimately, the loss of livelihoods.
We are told that billions of dollars are being earned from Zimbabwe's resources, yet ordinary Zimbabweans see none of these gains.
Meanwhile, our mountains, rivers, and farms are reduced to wastelands.
Consider the broader implications: if Chinese companies are audaciously mining Christmas Pass and Shurugwi's Boterekwa, what stops them from encroaching upon world-renowned sites like Victoria Falls or the pristine wilderness of Chimanimani, Nyanga, and the Vumba?
There are already disturbing reports of prospecting for coal inside Hwange National Park.
When iconic wildlife and heritage sites are jeopardized, Zimbabwe risks not just ecological collapse but cultural and economic devastation.
Tourism, which has historically been one of our major sources of revenue, will suffer irreparable damage.
The loss of biodiversity, coupled with environmental degradation, will leave us with nothing tangible to offer future generations except barren land and poisoned rivers.
Equally disturbing is the apparent complicity-or at least indifference-of those entrusted to protect the country.
When the Environmental Management Agency, the custodians of our environment, are allegedly bribed, silent, or intimidated, the very institutions designed to safeguard Zimbabwe's future fail.
This lack of oversight is a betrayal of public trust.
If authorities cannot or will not intervene against destructive foreign operators, then it falls upon the citizens themselves to demand accountability, to speak out, and to protect what is rightfully theirs.
The destruction inflicted by these mining companies is not only environmental; it is social and economic.
Families are forced off their ancestral lands, losing access to the rivers that sustained their crops and livestock.
Communities are stripped of their ability to sustain themselves, left to confront the grim reality of environmental contamination and economic ruin.
Generations of Zimbabweans could inherit nothing but scars on the land and toxic water-a legacy of plunder masquerading as investment.
It is crucial to challenge the narrative that these operations are beneficial simply because they generate revenue.
Revenue for whom?
Certainly not for Zimbabweans.
While these companies reap billions, our country is left with nothing tangible-no lasting infrastructure, no rehabilitation of mined areas, and no meaningful economic empowerment for local communities.
This is not investment; it is extraction at its most vicious, a form of legalized plunder cushioned by the veneer of foreign diplomacy and economic engagement.
Zimbabwe cannot afford to remain passive.
We are at a crossroads: continue to allow our mountains, rivers, and farms to be ravaged, or rise as custodians of our land.
The government of Zimbabwe and other relevant authorities must act decisively.
Mining operations in sensitive ecological and heritage zones must be suspended immediately, and full-scale environmental impact assessments must be conducted.
Those who have acted illegally should face prosecution.
Beyond enforcement, there must be a commitment to restore the damage already inflicted.
But even more, Zimbabweans must demand systemic change.
Transparency, accountability, and responsible environmental governance cannot be optional.
Foreign investors must understand that the resources of this country are not theirs to pillage.
Zimbabwe is more than a repository of minerals-it is home to communities, cultures, and ecosystems that deserve protection.
Without urgent action, we risk a future in which the country we call home is rendered unrecognizable, its wealth hoarded by outsiders while its people suffer.
The plunder of Christmas Pass, Boterekwa, and rural areas should serve as a warning: our mountains, rivers, and heritage sites are not expendable.
They are the lifeblood of this nation, and we cannot afford to sacrifice them for short-term gains.
Zimbabweans must unite to safeguard our natural legacy, confront the reckless exploitation of foreign companies, and hold our authorities accountable.
Otherwise, when the Chinese leave, they may take our minerals-but they will leave behind a country stripped of its soul, its wildlife, and its future.
Zimbabweans are the rightful custodians of their land.
It is now up to us to ensure that our mountains continue to stand, our rivers continue to flow, and our children inherit a nation that is whole, vibrant, and alive.
If we fail in this duty, there will be no country left to speak of-literally.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
