Rights groups condemn alleged intimidation of community activists after Parliament testimony on Chinese mine

FOUR Zimbabwean civil society organisations have accused a senior government official of intimidating community activists after they gave evidence to Parliament about alleged environmental and labour abuses linked to a Chinese-owned mining company in Buhera district.

In a joint statement issued Friday, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU), Centre for Peace Research and Development in Africa (CPRDA) and Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZICET) condemned what they described as threats directed at the Buhera Residents Network Trust (BRNT) following its appearance before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

The organisations said the alleged intimidation came after BRNT made an oral presentation to lawmakers on July 6 detailing what it said were the environmental, social and labour impacts of mining operations by Sabi Star, operated by Maxi Mind Investments, a Chinese-owned company.

According to the statement, the community group raised concerns over alleged environmental degradation, contamination of water sources, excessive water abstraction, unsafe working conditions, dust pollution and the displacement of local communities.

“Following BRNT’s oral presentation to Parliament… a senior government official publicly issued a threatening statement directed at the organisation and its representative. Such conduct is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy and undermines the authority of Parliament as an institution established to receive evidence from citizens without fear or favour,” the organisations said.

The groups argued that the allegations presented to Parliament were matters of public interest requiring independent scrutiny rather than personal disputes.

“These are matters of profound public interest. They are not personal grievances. They raise questions concerning compliance with Zimbabwe’s environmental, labour and mining laws and therefore warrant thorough and impartial investigation by Parliament and the relevant oversight institutions,” the statement said.

The organisations warned that intimidating witnesses who testify before parliamentary committees could weaken Parliament’s constitutional oversight role.

“It is our view that this brazen attempt to discredit and intimidate citizens for presenting evidence before Parliament strikes at the heart of Zimbabwe’s constitutional order,” they said.

They cited several provisions of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, including Section 119, which gives Parliament oversight responsibilities over government institutions, Section 67 on citizens’ participation in governance, Section 62 on access to information and Section 73, which guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being.

The coalition said affected communities must be free to report environmental concerns and seek accountability through Parliament without fear of reprisals.

The statement comes amid growing scrutiny of mining activities in Zimbabwe, where communities and environmental groups have repeatedly raised concerns over pollution, labour conditions and displacement linked to some large-scale mining projects, including those involving foreign investors.