CIVIC society activist and critic of government’s diamond mining activities in Chiadzwa Farai Maguwu has left the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) a non-governmental organisation that documented human rights abuses in the Marange area under unclear circumstances. REPORT BY MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
He has since formed his own Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) to deal with human rights issues.
Although circumstances surrounding Maguwu’s departure were still sketchy, the human rights campaigner yesterday claimed he left to form the CNRG which he said would continue lobbying for good governance on a wide scale.
The CRD recently issued a statement advising that Maguwu had left the organisation, but gave no reasons for his departure. “We decided to lobby for good governance on a wider scale not on diamonds alone. The new organisation is operating from Harare and Mutare and we are now looking at a broader level,” Maguwu said.
He denied that he had been booted out of CRD to silence him.
“Not at all, we have not been silenced. We will come back stronger, we are looking at other areas like gold mining and conservancies,” he said.
Maguwu is known for documenting human rights abuses at Chiadzwa diamonds fields and has won several accolades for his fight for the rights of the affected people.
In 2010, Maguwu spent 31 days in custody after he was arrested over allegations of publishing falsehoods deemed prejudicial to the State. He was only released after the State withdrew the charges. However, analysts described his incarceration as part of a grand plan to silence him.
