Johnson Progress

The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has issued a stern warning that all permits and agreements for riverbed mining purportedly authorized under its name are fraudulent and invalid.

This forceful declaration comes amid a renewed government crackdown on illegal alluvial mining, reinforcing a comprehensive ban first instituted last year.

Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, addressed the media in Harare, stating that unchecked excavation activities have escalated to alarming levels, compelling Cabinet to take decisive action to protect the nation’s waterways.

He reminded the nation that President Emmerson Mnangagwa, through a Cabinet decision, formally prohibited all riverbed mining in August 2024.

The directive was subsequently bolstered by specific legislation from the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

Eng Muguti explained that the legal framework was solidified through Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024, which strictly regulates alluvial mining operations across the country.

The senior official expressed serious concern over emerging reports of individuals and companies attempting to legitimize their activities using documents falsely attributed to the highest office.

He categorically denied the OPC’s involvement in any such agreements.

“The Office of the President and Cabinet does not sign agreements. Any documents claiming to originate from the OPC are fraudulent and have no legal standing,” Eng Muguti asserted, urging the public and authorities to disregard them entirely.

He further revealed that the OPC has been inundated with complaints regarding local officials allegedly overstepping their authority.

According to Eng Muguti, numerous reports implicate district development coordinators, rural district councils, and some provincial offices in unlawfully issuing mining permits without the mandatory approval of the responsible Ministers for Environment and Mines.

The government emphasized that the ban is universal and permits no exceptions.

Eng Muguti warned that even private landowners would face severe legal consequences for exploiting rivers traversing their properties.

He stressed that the prohibition applies equally to private land, state land, national parks, and communal areas in all of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces.

In a closely monitored exception, the government confirmed it has granted Prevail International limited authorization under a pilot project.

This initiative, supervised by an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Masuka, will test methods for river rehabilitation without harmful mining practices.

Eng Muguti took this opportunity to caution local authorities against entering into dubious “rehabilitation agreements” that serve as a facade for illicit alluvial mining.

All legitimate applications concerning river-related activities must now be routed through the supervisory Inter-Ministerial Committee.

Security agencies at the provincial level have received direct instructions to take firm action against violators, while communities are being encouraged to report illegal mining operations to the police.

Reaffirming the government’s uncompromising position, Eng Muguti concluded, “We fully support the Cabinet directive. Anyone engaging in riverbed mining anywhere in the country is breaking the law.”

The statement signals a concerted and high-level effort to halt environmental degradation and restore order to the sector.