The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
Nothing has been as uplifting for communities in the diamond-rich Chiadzwa as news that the Government granted them a diamond concession.
It fills them with hope that they will now be able to benefit from their God-given resource.
This comes after five years of intense lobbying by the Chiadzwa Community Development Trust.
In 2019, the Government duly availed 5 000 hectares that are considered rich in alluvial diamonds.
The concession stretches from the former Mbada Diamonds concession up to the Save River confluence.
But, two years down the line, communities are still anxiously waiting for mining operations to begin.
For Mr Nicholas Chipise, the wait is becoming increasingly unbearable.
“Each time I see Government officials visiting us, I automatically assume that their visit is related to opening of the community mine. It has indeed been a long, tortuous wait,” he said.
Mrs Violet Mukwada of Chiadzwa Village is similarly as anxious as everyone else.
“This area is like a desert. It is not suitable for farming and as a result, poverty and hunger always stalk us. The opening of the community mine will surely lift us out of this abject poverty,” said Mrs Mukwada, who sometimes scrounges for diamonds in areas where illegal panners leave diamond ore.
Mr Newman Chiadzwa, chairperson of the Chiadzwa Community Development Trust, chronicled how the community got the concession.
“For years, we lobbied for this concession. It was a time-consuming exercise that involved a lot of travelling to Harare. However, the coming in of the Second Republic saw our prayers being answered.
“President Mnangagwa is a listening leader and when we tabled before him our wish, he did not hesitate and straight away granted us our long-cherished wish,” Mr Chiadzwa said.
He, however, said it is taking long for the dream to come to fruition.
“The last time we met the President, he was eager to have this project started. I am not too sure why it is taking the Zimbabwe Mining and Development Company (ZMDC) long to avail the needed resources so that we kick-start this game-changing mining project.
“The Government is well aware of the problems that Chiadzwa villagers are facing. This area is under-developed and our youths are not employed. The opening of the community mine will end all these problems. The earlier we start operations, the better.”
Mr Hard Mukwada, the Mukwada village headman, weighed in.
“The resident minister was here and we sat down as a community and agreed on a number of issues regarding the operations of the mine. Nothing has been said since that meeting with the minister. Maybe we need to make a follow-up with the relevant authorities,” said headman Mukwada.
CDC chairperson Mr Wellington Pasipamire could not give a timeline on when mining operations would begin.
“First of all, we need to get into the project phase. We also need to mobilise funding and create an exploratory budget. ZCDC is currently in the process of mobilising funds and finalising other related modalities,” he said.
“We are also looking at other aspects such as the social and economic impact that the mining operation will have on the community. The community must benefit to the fullest. It is, therefore, difficult for us to come up with specific timelines with regards to when exactly we are going to start the mining operations.”
However, Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Nokuthula Matsikenyeri said the Government is working on the necessary modalities for the project to start.
“Everything is on course. Government, through the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company, is in the process of identifying the contractors that will work on the project.
‘‘After identifying the contractors, the mining operations will then commence,” she said.
