3.1.6 Mashonaland East
“The Chinese guys were moving around the area telling everyone to prepare to be
moved as the place was meant for underground mining of black granite. We were
shocked. How can we be moved from our ancestral land just like that,” he said.
Mining and Lives
The controversial gold rush by the Chinese in Mashonaland East – Mutoko - sparked a significant
amount of shock and anger among Zimbabwean citizens.
The usually sleepy districts, known for being the source of fresh vegetables, suddenly became the
centre of attention as the Chinese scrambled to claim ownership of vast tracts of land, which they said
was for exploration.
In Mutoko, there already has been a huge amount of discontent by villagers over the extraction of the
valuable black granite, exported to developed countries at the expense of the poor communities.
To add to their worries, villagers in Mutoko North were shocked when the Chinese allegedly claimed
they were to evict about four villages living on the 178 hectares of land slated for underground black
granite extraction.
The Chinese allegedly entered without the company of government officials, and claimed the land
belonged to them, as they had obtained the exploration rights.
According to the law, exploration rights supersede any other right over land.
A villager who spoke to ZPP confirmed the visits by the Chinese.
“The Chinese guys were moving around the area telling everyone to prepare to be moved as the place
was meant for underground mining of black granite. We were shocked. How can we be moved from
our ancestral land just like that,” he said.
A few days later, a video of a blast inside a village emerged signaling the beginning of mining
activities in one part of Mutoko.
This is not just happening in Mutoko.
The Zimbabwe Independent, a weekly newspaper, has reported that thousands of Domboshawa
villagers face imminent displacement to accommodate a clique of gold miners with strong links to the
ruling Zanu PF party.
The paper further reported that fresh gold rush is happening without following proper channels,
including an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and other licencing processes.
In Mavuradonha, foreign miners invaded game parks to exploit chrome. A Chinese miner also got a
claim in Hwange National Park for coal.
In 2011, the Marange people of Chiadzwa in Manicaland were moved to ARDA Transau pave way for
the mining of diamonds in the area and to date, they live in abject poverty and the land they were
displaced from has since been desecrated due to the exploitative mining methods used by the
Chinese companies linked to top government officials