Online Reporter
Eliah Saushoma [email protected]
THE Zimbabwe Indigenous Miners Association (ZIMA) has hailed the recognition of its president, Cde Silingiwe Masuku, who received a Presidential Award for Mining and Economic Development at the recently held Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (ZAA) 2026 in Harare.
The awards ceremony, held under the patronage of Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Tino Machakaire, recognised Zimbabweans making an impact in various sectors, including mining and economic development.
The Zimbabwe Achievers Association (ZAA) is a global membership organisation that celebrates excellence, innovation and impact among Zimbabweans at home and abroad.
Speaking after the event, ZIMA secretary-general Mr Dadiso Brian Maseva described the award as a significant milestone for small-scale and indigenous miners across the country.
He said the mining sector provided an important avenue for economic participation by young people, women, war veterans and persons with disabilities while contributing to mineral production, employment creation and rural industrialisation.
Mr Maseva also called for the establishment of a structured and secure platform that would allow Zimbabweans living in the diaspora to invest directly in the local economy, particularly the mining sector.
“We must create a platform where skills, knowledge, investment and experience can flow directly into Zimbabwean communities and economic sectors,” he said.
“The diaspora represents a significant pool of expertise, entrepreneurs and investors whose contribution can complement the work being undertaken at home.”
He said attracting diaspora capital and foreign direct investment was not only about financial inflows, but could also facilitate the transfer of technology, access to international markets and the creation of business networks to complement Zimbabwe’s natural resources.
Mr Maseva said gold production remained a key pillar of the mining sector and could play an important role in strengthening the national economy and supporting the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency framework.
He said increased formal gold production could boost national reserves, generate foreign currency and contribute to fiscal stability.
According to ZIMA, the expansion of indigenous mining is aligned with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s developmental philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo / Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo” — a nation is built by its owners.
Mr Maseva said the recognition of Cde Masuku came at a time when efforts were being intensified to strengthen engagement between Zimbabwe and its diaspora, particularly in areas that could drive investment and economic development.
He reaffirmed ZIMA’s commitment to responsible mining, capacity building and community empowerment, while calling for stronger collaboration between Government, local stakeholders and Zimbabweans in the diaspora.
He said such cooperation was critical to ensuring that the country’s mineral wealth translated into inclusive economic development and opportunities for communities across Zimbabwe.
