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THE claims by Chiadzwa diamond mining companies about diamonds being exhausted in the area are false and meant to evade paying their dues to employees, a Cabinet Minister has said. The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Service, Cde Chris Mushohwe said this last Sunday at Mukwada Secondary School in Mutare West where he was commissioning the electrification of the school and clinic.
Cde Mushohwe took a swipe at Chiadzwa diamond companies trying to garner sympathy to evade paying dues to the Community Share Ownership Trust and compensating relocated villagers in ARDA Transau. “Most companies are now claiming there are no more diamonds in Chiadzwa because they have heard of the amalgamation programme. Some of them still owe hundreds of employees a lot of money in outstanding salaries and to some local companies that supplied them with goods. Mine employees should receive their outstanding earnings. We have engaged each diamond company in Chiadzwa and sternly told them this,” said Cde Mushohwe, who is also the Mutare West legislator.
The Information Minister, however, said Government had learnt its lesson which is why all the diamond mining companies are soon to be amalgamated to ensure communities resourcefully gain from natural resources exploited in their respective areas.
“I know most of us in Chiadzwa and surrounding communities have a bitter bone to chew about little benefits derived from our diamonds. You expected to see youths getting jobs, clinics being built and road infrastructure developing, but this did not materialise. As Government we have learned our lesson and will correct it through the amalgamation of all the Chiadzwa diamond companies into one entity, the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company,” he said.
The Mines and Mining Development permanent secretary, Professor Francis Gudyanga early this year announced Government’s stern position on consolidation of all the diamond mining companies. He said all the seven Chiadzwa diamond mining companies, Mbada Diamonds, Anjin, Marange Resources, Gye Nyame, Kusena, Jinan and Diamond Mining Company together with Murowa Diamonds and DTZ-OZGEO would merge into ZCDC.
Prof Gudyanga said Government was taking control of the 150 000-hectares Chiadzwa diamonds fields to improve transparency and accountability of the national resource. Minister Mushohwe also urged the rural schools to make use of the electricity by teaching children Information and Communication Technology.
“President Mugabe started this programme along with the computerization programme to enhance the socio-economic development in rural communities and put rural children at par with their urban counterparts,” said Cde Mushohwe.
The Provincial Administrator and REA board member, Mr Fungai Mbetsa said a total of 254 secondary schools and 250 clinics had so far been electrified in Manicaland through the ongoing rural electrification programme. More than $150 000 was used to electrify Mukwada Secondary School and Mukwada clinic by REA.
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