By Felix Matasva
Penhalonga residents have accused church leaders for failing to tell President Emmerson Mnangagwa to act on the negative impacts of chaotic gold mining operations in Mutasa district, Manicaland province.
This emerged during a Mutasa District Alternative Mining Indaba (DAMI) held recently at Anglican Cathedral in Mutare.
The Indaba was hosted by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) and Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD).
Community members said bishops must unwrap to the presidium, the daily struggles of unsustainable gold extraction in Penhalonga and Odzi.
They lamented the longstanding scrambled mining activities which have made way for massive land degradation, river polution, child labour, prostitution including other criminal activities.
“We have church leaders who can walk with the president.
“Pastors must advise Bishops and archbishops to tell that man (President) the truth, whenever they have a chance to speak with him,” Comfort Chirombe said.
He added: “Church is associated with telling the truth. Some of our church leaders are letting us down.”
Phenhalonga Residents and Ratepayers Trust (PRRT) chairperson, Westone Makoni highlighted that they have pushed the ‘Penhalonga Agenda’ for more than ten years without the devising of solutions by government.
“There is no place where the parliamentary portifolio committees have visited like in Penhalonga at Redwing Mine.
“All of them were given reports, Minister Chitando and his Excellency have them,” said Makoni adding that the church has failed its role.
Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Bishop Eric Ruwona told The Zimbabwe Indipendent that allegations that they are not engaging the presidium are invalid.
“I can not answer on what we usually do but when we engage government at such foras, we are represented by ZCC president and Bishops and Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe who take up matters to the presidium and high ranking officials,” Bishop Ruwona clarified.
“For the record, our role as churches is not to be fearful of criticism by our leaders.
“Our role as the church is to guide and adivise them. When it is necessary we can be prophetic hence admonish them to the right way,” the senior Anglican cleric told The Zimbabwe Indipendent.
A female resident who requested anonimity pointed out that mining operations in Phenhalonga must be conducted under the confines of the law amid a looming disaster.
“We are now living in fear of another Chimanimani disaster as there is unristricted land degradation.
“Those with kids learning at St Augustines do not be surprised to fall in a pit while visiting your children,” she said.
Selina Marewangepo said the mining bills which recently went through hearings has got gaps which give rise to underdevelopment of resource rich communities.
Marewangepo noted that mining entities and individuals must give back a certain percentage of their proceeds to district councils.
“This is must be legally binding, Mutasa District Council will then be able to develop our road networks, for the benefit of the community at large.”