Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
GOVERNMENT has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring and protecting the country’s river ecosystems, which are vital for agriculture, biodiversity and rural livelihoods.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Christopher Magomo recently convened a meeting with key Government departments and environmental stakeholders to review progress on rehabilitating rivers affected by illegal mining activities.
He emphasised that safeguarding the environment was a Government mandate and announced the establishment of committees to oversee river de-siltation and ensure contractors do not cause further damage.
“I urge the committee we have set up to closely monitor the work being done by contractors so that we do not reverse progress through further harm,” he said.
“We are targeting rivers already affected by siltation; those still in good condition will not be touched.”
Minister Magomo highlighted the importance of engaging farmers in the rehabilitation process to avoid conflicts and promote sustainable outcomes.
“Farmers and contractors must work together. In the past, some contractors worsened river conditions. We want to restore sanity to our ecosystems.
“River diversion for selfish interests must come to an end,” he asserted.
After the meeting, environmental planning and monitoring officer for Mashonaland Central at the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Mrs Erica Uzanda, noted that discussions centred on strengthening the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 188 of 2024, which provides a legal framework for rehabilitating degraded river systems.
“The minister reaffirmed that SI 188 remains in force and is being operationalised through collaboration among various stakeholders implementing river rehabilitation programmes,” said Mrs Uzanda.
She pointed out that alluvial gold mining has caused severe siltation and river diversion in major rivers such as Mazowe and Mukaradzi in Mt Darwin, disrupting aquatic life and affecting irrigation-dependent farmers.
“These activities have degraded our riverine ecosystems and reduced water quality and quantity, directly impacting agriculture and community livelihoods,” she added.
Mrs Uzanda underscored the importance of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in promoting sustainable development and preventing environmental degradation.
“The EIA process helps identify and minimise environmental risks from development projects. It is a vital tool for ensuring that our natural resources are managed sustainably for both present and future generations,” she added.
Miners and other project developers were urged to comply with environmental regulations and obtain EIA certification before starting any activities likely to affect the environment.
“We appeal to all developers to follow the EIA process and adhere to EMA regulations to promote sustainable management of our natural resources,” said Mrs Uzanda.
Charles Duri