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THE government has crafted a new Mines and Minerals Bill that is now before Cabinet on its way to Parliament. Speaking during a Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba in Bulawayo yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Fred Moyo said the Attorney General’s office has already sent the proposed law to Cabinet for further scrutiny.
“The Minerals Bill has left the Attorney General’s office for the Cabinet and very soon it’ll be finalised whether to be amended or to be repealed,” said Moyo.
The Deputy Minister said this while responding to Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira who urged the government to revise the country’s mineral laws as they did not take into account the interests of people living in mineral rich areas.
“The law doesn’t allow people in mineral-rich areas to benefit from the resources in their areas, therefore we ask the government to repeal this notorious mines and minerals act,” said Charumbira.
The deputy minister said to resource nationalism driven by communities clamouring for a share of the resources, there was great need for laws and policies that ensure that communities benefit from riches around them.
“The African mining vision of February 2009 and our country’s Minerals Bill have the key aim to benefit the national citizenry through empowerment, industrialisation of the economy and improving social service delivery,” said the Deputy Minister.
Deputy Minister Moyo said the interests of local communities were based on their aspirations for better quality of life.
“We must learn from the past and present and craft a better tomorrow,” he said.
As part of revamping the country’s mineral laws, President Mugabe also said a Mineral Exploration and Marketing Corporation Bill that will transform the present Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe into a fully-fledged mineral exploration corporation will also be tabled in Parliament.
Online Reporter