- Kambamura vows zero tolerance on graft in Mines Ministry.
- Inspectors and engineers promised protection when closing unsafe mines.
- New controls aim for faster permits and fair dispute resolution by 2026.
MINES and Mining Development Minister Dr. Polite Kambamura has warned ministry staff that corruption will not be tolerated, vowing decisive action to make the ministry the government’s best performer this year.
“The country’s mineral wealth belongs to the people of Zimbabwe, to every citizen, born and unborn, and we are merely its custodians,” Kambamura told staff in Harare.
He said officers who solicit bribes, trade decisions for favours, or leak privileged information betray not only this institution but the nation itself.
Kambamura pledged full protection for inspectors and Government Mining Engineers who lawfully suspend or close unsafe mines.
“When an inspector lawfully suspends or closes an unsafe operation, that order will stand. It will not be quietly reversed through a phone call, through political pressure or through corporate influence. If I stand behind you, the President stands behind you,” he said.
The Minister announced plans to strengthen internal controls, introduce district‑level mining officers, and fund a $2 million National Safety Enforcement Blitz to curb unsafe practices.
The crackdown follows past scandals, including allegations of double allocation of mining claims and bribes paid to officials, which cost Zimbabwe billions in lost revenue.
Deputy Ministers Eng. Fred Moyo and Dr. Caleb Makwiranzou, along with Permanent Secretary Dr. Thomas Utete Wushe, attended the address. Moyo is a veteran mining engineer with over 40 years of industry leadership, Makwiranzou is a civil engineer overseeing oil and gas exploration, and Wushe is a seasoned strategist recently moved from Industry and Commerce to Mines.
The initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (2026‑2030), which prioritises mineral exploration, value addition, and transparency to achieve upper‑middle‑income status by 2030.
Whistleblower protection is also expected to improve after Cabinet approved the Whistleblowers and Witness Protection Bill in late 2025, creating a legal framework for safe reporting.
Transparency International Zimbabwe has welcomed the reforms but warned that secrecy in mining contracts and weak enforcement remain obstacles.
