THE introduction of the Environmental Management Bill of 2026, approved by Cabinet last week, could not have come at a more critical time. Authorities must now move swiftly to ensure the proposed legislation is enacted and effectively implemented to confront worsening environmental abuses, particularly in the mining and construction sectors.
However, without strict enforcement mechanisms, the new law risks suffering the same fate as its predecessor, the Environmental Management Act, which critics say failed to sufficiently empower the Environmental Management Agency to deal decisively with offenders.
While mining — especially gold mining — remains Zimbabwe’s biggest export earner, weak regulation and poor enforcement have enabled widespread environmental degradation.
Illegal alluvial gold mining, blamed for severe river pollution and destruction of ecosystems, continues to threaten both human and animal life. Several rivers have already been affected, including the Mutare River in Manicaland province, where a foreign miner reportedly fled into nearby mountains after being raided by authorities over alleged illegal riverbed mining activities involving heavy machinery.
Small-scale miners operating along rivers and streams have repeatedly been accused of violating Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024, despite public calls urging investors to respect Zimbabwean laws and coexist peacefully with local communities.
Beyond Mutare River and Shurugwi, environmental destruction linked to mining has also been reported in Makaha, Mutoko, among other mineral-rich areas.
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Last week, this newspaper carried disturbing reports detailing the environmental devastation unfolding in Shurugwi. Open-cast mining, uncontrolled excavation and reckless mineral extraction have left scarred landscapes, ripped apart hillsides and destroyed vegetation across large parts of the district. Rivers are increasingly threatened by mining waste, chemical runoff and siltation, placing downstream communities and livestock at risk.
The proposed law seeks to amend the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27] by incorporating emerging environmental principles and strengthening environmental rights enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution. It also aims to tighten penalties under a legal framework long criticised for imposing fines too insignificant to deter offenders. But amending legislation alone will not solve the crisis.
Without consistent enforcement, environmental degradation and pollution are likely to continue unabated.
The strengthening of the polluter-pays principle under the proposed law could prove significant in holding polluters accountable, including mining firms, local authorities and industrial operators.
Councils have, for years, faced accusations of polluting Lake Chivero through the discharge of untreated sewage. Although fines have previously been imposed, the pollution has persisted. This demonstrates the urgent need not only for stiffer penalties, but also for robust enforcement systems capable of ensuring compliance.