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Zimbabwe govt petitioned over rights abuses in Magunje
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The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has petitioned the government, demanding an urgent investigation and remedial action over alleged mining-related human rights abuses in Magunje, Hurungwe district, Mashonaland West province.
In a letter dated July 16, 2025, and addressed to Mines and Mining Development secretary-Pfungwa Kunaka, the Environmental Management Agency (Ema), and the Parliament of Zimbabwe, CNRG raised serious concerns about violations linked to the operations of Chinese-owned Labenmon Investment (Pvt) Ltd, which is involved in cement manufacturing and mining activities in the area.
Parliament has since confirmed receiving the petition.
"We, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance [CNRG], acting on behalf of affected community members in Chasara, Kapere, and Kemapondo villages, hereby submit this letter of demand to your office regarding gross violations of community and labour rights linked to the operations of Labenmon Investment (Pvt) Ltd," the letter reads.
According to CNRG, evidence gathered through site visits, environmental scans, and testimonies from affected villagers points to systematic abuse and impunity by the investor.
"The consultation process relied upon to justify operations was neither inclusive nor procedurally valid. A ward-level meeting convened on May 25, 2024, was prematurely terminated by the district development coordinator, yet its attendance register is now being used to claim community approval," the petition stated.
CNRG further alleged that entire villages, including Chasara and Kapere, were excluded from official consultations, a violation of both constitutional and environmental laws. It accused the company of bulldozing ancestral graves and communal farmland, displacing households without compensation, and destroying community gardens - a key source of livelihoods - during land-clearing operations.
The Farai Maguwu-led organisation called for immediate government intervention, urging authorities to uphold the rights of affected villagers, ensure fair compensation, and respect their choice to remain on their ancestral lands.
CNRG is also demanding a formal government inquiry into allegations of unlawful land acquisition, fraudulent stakeholder consultations, and Labenmon's alleged non-compliance with local laws. The organisation wants the government to publicly disclose all licences, environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, and correspondence authorising Labenmon's activities in Magunje.
"We respectfully ask that your office treat this issue with the urgency and seriousness it deserves. Development must be balanced with protecting community rights, dignity, and sovereignty," CNRG said.
The petition comes amid growing concerns over the exploitation of rural communities by foreign investors, particularly in the extractive industries, where reports of rights abuses and environmental degradation are increasingly common.
In a letter dated July 16, 2025, and addressed to Mines and Mining Development secretary-Pfungwa Kunaka, the Environmental Management Agency (Ema), and the Parliament of Zimbabwe, CNRG raised serious concerns about violations linked to the operations of Chinese-owned Labenmon Investment (Pvt) Ltd, which is involved in cement manufacturing and mining activities in the area.
Parliament has since confirmed receiving the petition.
"We, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance [CNRG], acting on behalf of affected community members in Chasara, Kapere, and Kemapondo villages, hereby submit this letter of demand to your office regarding gross violations of community and labour rights linked to the operations of Labenmon Investment (Pvt) Ltd," the letter reads.
According to CNRG, evidence gathered through site visits, environmental scans, and testimonies from affected villagers points to systematic abuse and impunity by the investor.
"The consultation process relied upon to justify operations was neither inclusive nor procedurally valid. A ward-level meeting convened on May 25, 2024, was prematurely terminated by the district development coordinator, yet its attendance register is now being used to claim community approval," the petition stated.
CNRG further alleged that entire villages, including Chasara and Kapere, were excluded from official consultations, a violation of both constitutional and environmental laws. It accused the company of bulldozing ancestral graves and communal farmland, displacing households without compensation, and destroying community gardens - a key source of livelihoods - during land-clearing operations.
The Farai Maguwu-led organisation called for immediate government intervention, urging authorities to uphold the rights of affected villagers, ensure fair compensation, and respect their choice to remain on their ancestral lands.
CNRG is also demanding a formal government inquiry into allegations of unlawful land acquisition, fraudulent stakeholder consultations, and Labenmon's alleged non-compliance with local laws. The organisation wants the government to publicly disclose all licences, environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, and correspondence authorising Labenmon's activities in Magunje.
"We respectfully ask that your office treat this issue with the urgency and seriousness it deserves. Development must be balanced with protecting community rights, dignity, and sovereignty," CNRG said.
The petition comes amid growing concerns over the exploitation of rural communities by foreign investors, particularly in the extractive industries, where reports of rights abuses and environmental degradation are increasingly common.
Source - Newsday
