Staff Reporter

The ZANU PF National Political Commissar Cde Mike Bimha has said that the Government was ready to restore sanity in the mining sector by regulating operations of artisanal miners.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe Artisanal Miners Association (ZAMA) Stakeholders meeting in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central Province yesterday, and Cde Bimha said the Government was prepared to address challenges being faced by artisanal miners.

“When I arrived here, the ZAMA leadership briefed us on all your concerns and challenges as artisanal miners. We have taken note of these and we promise to address them. I am happy with your numbers and in your numbers you have a voice to be heard. Your slogan, ‘Mukorokoza Munhu’ speaks to the need for us as leadership to address your challenges and work together to make Vision 2030 a success,” said Cde Bimha.

Cde Bimha added that the liberation struggle was fought to open up economic opportunities for the indigenous people.

“We fought the liberation struggle for this independence that we enjoy today. We now enjoy mining across all our provinces. The only remaining challenge is that we now have people who deny other indigenous Zimbabweans the opportunity to explore for minerals. We are going to restore order in the mining sector,” added Cde Bimha.

Cde Bimha bemoaned the violent clashes within the artisanal mining sector and said that the unfortunate habit should stop forthwith. He said he would engage law enforcement agents to compel them to restore sanity in Mazowe and other mining areas.

The National PC urged those who acquired loans from banks to put them to good use to increase production.

“Let me state that when you get loan facilities, please let’s use them to enhance production at our mines and projects that we are doing. The loans are not for buying luxurious cars. It’s for production just like the President always says,” added Cde Bimha.

Cde Bimha urged the artisanal miners to vote for President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF in next year’s elections. He added that the attainment of an upper middle income economy status by 2030 could only be achieved when President Mnangagwa was at the helm of the Government.

Speaking at the same occasion, ZAMA national chairperson Constance Muchini said that it was a fact that small scale miners were the largest gold producers in the country despite facing financial challenges She added that artisanal miners were ready to give President Mnangagwa another presidential mandate during next year’s elections.