CHIEF Mutasa has criticised the government for excluding traditional leaders from committees tasked with overseeing the rehabilitation of 17 major rivers declared a state of disaster by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The dispute highlights growing tensions over river restoration efforts following government’s declaration of a state of disaster on 17 river systems severely degraded by illegal alluvial mining, with traditional leaders arguing they are being sidelined despite being custodians of affected ecosystems.
Mnangagwa officially declared 17 major rivers a state of disaster through Statutory Instruments 91 and 92 of 2026.
The SIs establish a national state of disaster across Zimbabwe’s riverine ecosystems and empowers authorities to urgently rehabilitate rivers severely damaged by illegal and destructive alluvial mining.
Under the new regulations, all mining and agricultural activities are suspended along 17 major degraded river systems — including Mazowe, Save, Umzingwane and Mutare rivers — to allow for ecological recovery.
Companies responsible for river degradation are legally required to fund the restoration of damaged ecosystems.
The instruments also empower the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) and law enforcement to halt destructive operations, shut down illegal mines, and seize equipment.
The affected rivers have suffered years of severe environmental degradation, siltation and pollution driven by unregulated alluvial and riverbed mining.
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However, speaking at the Betterbrands Tradition Bira ceremony at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, Manicaland, on Friday, Chief Mutasa said traditional leaders were excluded from key decision-making structures despite their role as custodians of natural resources.
The ceremony was held to promote safety and prevent loss of life in mining areas.
“I applaud President Emmerson Mnangagwa for such initiatives on the declaration of rivers a state of disaster,” he said.
“But the problem starts when we are told that there are committees set up to look into all these rivers, but as traditional leaders, we are the custodians of these rivers.
“The composition itself has no traditional leaders; they have overlooked our role. Maybe we are considered uneducated and there were no proper consultations. We have all the resolutions, and we have the history of these rivers.”
Chief Mutasa is the custodian of the Mutare and Nyamukwarara rivers.
“Just imagine the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Environment coming here without my knowledge and people do not learn,” he said.
“Today (Friday) we are here to solve the crisis which was created by the Ministry of Mines. People were dying every week and we have stabilised the situation.”
Meanwhile, Chief Mutasa applauded Betterbrands for improving the security and safety of miners at Redwing Mine.
“We used to have deaths every week and mining incidents, but we realised that we have not been doing something, and that is when we resurrected these biras,” he said.
“Deaths and mining incidents have been reduced to just two percent; this is a combination of safety measures being implemented by Betterbrands Mining Company.”
In his address, Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Misheck Mugadza called on artisanal miners not to squander their earnings.
“When you have discovered the precious mineral, do not squander all the earnings. Set aside a portion of your earnings and invest it so that you have another source of income,” he said.
“I would also like to urge you to prioritise your safety while underground. Do not endanger yourselves. As you are aware, there have been cases of shaft collapse. Always ensure there is underground timbering to at least prevent that.
He added that the government would support miners as long as they operated in an orderly and safe manner, but warned that disorderly and violent conduct will result in operations being shut down.
Mining disasters at Redwing Mine have mainly involved tunnel and open-pit collapses, gassing incidents and severe flooding, often worsened by the encroachment of informal artisanal mining into abandoned and active workings.
Shallow pits have frequently collapsed, with civil society groups attributing dozens of unreported fatalities to unsafe mining practices.
Torrential rains have also caused flooding and mudslides, damaging shafts, collapsing structures and trapping miners underground.
The recurring disasters have forced authorities, including the Environmental Management Agency, to periodically shut down operations. However, mining activity has often resumed, while keeping the area under continued safety scrutiny.
