A Kwekwe human rights activist has petitioned Parliament to draft an Ecocide Bill that criminalises the wanton destruction of the environment.
According to the Oxford dictionary, ecocide is the destruction of the natural environment by deliberate or negligent human action.
Other general definitions refer to it as massive damage to the environment, such as the mass poisoning of water and air or large-scale destruction of flora and fauna.
Environmental defender Emmanuel Nkosilathi Moyo said local and foreign companies were carrying out unchecked mining activities that were destroying the environment.
He cited Boterekwa mountain in Shurugwi, a national heritage site of historical significance that has been blasted by mining companies.
He appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on environment, climate, wildlife and tourism recently.
“I petitioned Parliament suggesting the need for an Ecocide Bill to protect our environment from severe degradation by mining corporations along the Great Dyke and other parts of the country,” Moyo said.
“This is not a law against development.
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“It is a law to protect Zimbabwe’s people, our national wealth, and our sovereignty from reckless destruction.
“It does not concern ordinary economic activity or responsible industry, but instead targets unlawful actions, reckless behaviour, and destructive practices that cause catastrophic harm.”
Moyo said environmental destruction has led to the poisoning of water bodies, illegal dumping of toxic waste, and other environmentally harmful practices.
“By adopting this law, Zimbabwe signals that development must go hand in hand with responsibility, ensuring that what sustains us is never put at risk,” he said.
He argued that criminalising ecocide would act as a deterrent against unlawful and reckless land devastation and provide justice for affected communities.
“This bill, therefore, strengthens the rule of law and provides Parliament with a powerful tool to defend our people and the environment,” Moyo added.
In its response to Moyo’s petition, the committee said every person has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being.
“More case studies can be looked at across Zimbabwe where local and foreign-owned mining companies are tearing down Zimbabwe’s environment in a very catastrophic way,” the committee noted.
The country currently has no dedicated Ecocide Bill
