Manicaland stakeholders will on Wednesday converge in Mutare for this year’s provincial alternative mining indaba (PAMI) organised to discuss issues affecting mining communities and the province at large.
Convened under the theme ‘Responsible and Accountable Governance of Minerals’, the indaba brings together various stakeholders including local communities, government government ministries, departments and agencies, mining companies, parliament, traditional chiefs, Local Authorities, civil society and supply chain actors.
According to the organizers, Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), the Manicaland mining indaba which will be addressed by Minister of State responsible for Manicaland Affairs, Mandi Chimene is being held at a time when government is strengthening efforts to derive optimum revenue from the management of Marange diamonds through the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC).
“However, challenges are still being experienced towards the initiative evidenced by the recently produced report by Parliament which profiled transparency and accountability concerns in the Marange diamond mining activities,” said ZELA.
The PAMIs therefore, enables stakeholders to understand better the opportunities and challenges underpinning the success and failure of attaining broad based socio-economic development.
Issues that are like to feature prominently at the Manicaland alternative mining indaba include the proposed expansion of diamond exploration to areas such as Penhalonga and Chimanimani.
“This has resulted in the communities being in a state of fear and unease based on the challenges experienced with mining in Marange resulting in forced relocations without Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and compensation,” noted ZELA.
Other issues that will also be discussed at the mining indaba is the recent release of hundreds of mining claims on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Penhalonga by Redwing mine.
The indaba is organized by ZELA and two other partners namely Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD).
The organizations will also hold indabas for the Great Dyke and Matabeleland mineral rich communities.
