President declares 17 rivers as state of disaster

Zvamaida Murwira

Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa has declared 17 rivers that require rehabilitation as a state of disaster following years of degradation due to mining activities.

These include Mazowe and Murowodzi Rivers in Mashonaland Central Province; Mazowe and Save Rivers in Mashonaland East Provinces; Angwa, Sanyati, Munyati and Mupfure Rivers in Mashonaland West Province.

Other rivers include Umzingwane and Insiza Rivers in Matabeleland South Province; Manzimudaka, Mutebekwi, Sanyati, Mtshingwe in Midlands Province; Mutare, Haroni and Nyamukwarara in Manicaland Province.

The declaration of a state of disaster will allow Government to marshal resources towards rehabilitating the rivers.

The Civil Protection (Declaration of State of Disaster: Emergency Riverine Ecosystems Rehabilitation) Notice 2026 was published in a Statutory Instrument of an Extraordinary Government Gazette published yesterday.

“As a result of the need to properly rehabilitate riverine ecosystems throughout Zimbabwe that have been adversely affected by legal and illegal alluvial mining activities, a state of disaster exists throughout Zimbabwe with effect from the promulgation of this declaration,” reads the notice.