Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
A village head under Chief Chivero in Mashonaland West has approached the High Court seeking an interdict to stop a mining company from operating in the area, including constructing a dam along the Mupfure River, alleging that its activities are destroying cultural heritage sites where First Chimurenga heroes Sekuru Kaguvi Gumboreshumba, Chief Chinengundu Mashayamombe and others are buried.
Headman Tobias Ruse Gumboreshumba is also seeking an order compelling Pan Africa Mining (Pvt) Ltd to immediately stop its operations, saying his subjects in Gumboreshumba Village, descendants of Sekuru Kaguvi, Chief Mashayamombe and communities on both sides of the Mupfure River oppose the destruction of their cultural heritage sites.
In his court application, Headman Gumboreshumba said efforts to engage Pan Africa Mining had been fruitless, alleging that trucks were frequently seen carrying out construction work along the Mupfure River and within the sacred cultural heritage sites.
He said the community had also petitioned Parliament to urgently intervene and stop Pan Africa Mining’s operations.
Headman Gumboreshumba said he had also engaged the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) over the matter.
Pan Africa Mining, the Minister of Mechanisation and Water Resources, the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority were cited as respondents.
In his court application, Headman Gumboreshumba said: “On the 1st of May 2026, the 1st Respondent started to construct Mupfure B or Njatara Dam in the middle of the Mupfure River at the behest of the 6th Respondent (ZINWA).
“The construction site of the dam sits at the very heart of the monuments and heritage sites of First Chimurenga Heroes, namely Sekuru Kaguvi Gumboreshumba and Paramount Chief Chinengundu Mashayamombe.
“The monuments and heritage sites at the area include sacred forest, sacred ancestral graves, sacred pools, sacred caves etc.
“The same area is where we perform additional rituals, including rain-making and worshipping since time immemorial.”
Headman Gumboreshumba said the area also contains six sacred pools, 20 ancestral graves of Chivero clan members and seven ancestral graves of Mashayamombe leaders buried in caves along the banks of the Mupfure River and within the proposed dam site.
He said the area had also been earmarked for the reburial of First Chimurenga heroes, including Chief Kaguvi Gumboreshumba and Chief Chinengundu Mashayamombe, once their remains had been repatriated.
“The graves are well over 120 years old and should be protected in terms of the law. Great damage to the site has already been caused as the 1st Respondent (Pan Africa Mining) has begun clearing the area for construction purpose.
“We have engaged all relevant authorities to help and protect our ancestral monuments and graves together with our sacred pools and areas where we perform our rain-making ceremonies and worshipping to no avail.”
Headman Gumboreshumba said all the authorities had turned a deaf ear to their concerns.
“We then proceeded to make our own investigations and enquiries regarding the project and discovered that the same is being done without following proper procedure and obtaining required permits,” he said.
“Further, the graves of the fallen First Chimurenga Heroes are protected by the Heroes Act and should not be destroyed without due process.
“The 1st Applicant has encroached the sacred heritage sites without engaging the relevant authorities and communities who are the custodians of the sacred forest, sacred mountains, sacred graves, sacred pools, sacred graves and areas of rain making ceremonies and worshipping.”
Headman Gumboreshumba claims there is abundant land in the community that can be allocated for such projects without destroying the sacred monuments.
