FARMERS settled around Manzou Farm in Mazowe are clashing with a Chinese-owned mine, accusing it of destroying their grazing lands and sources of water due to mining activities.
The impasse started last year and farmers are now demanding the removal of the mine, claiming it has destroyed their livestock’s water sources.
The incident is a culmination of the community’s bitterness over what they allege is the Chinese-owned mine’s habit of diverting water from Mazowe River to conduct their mining activities, in the process polluting their water supply.
Residents who spoke to Zim Morning Post said they were planning to push the Chinese from the area, claiming the mine was destroying their livelihoods.
“The mine is diverting water from the river and leaving our livestock without a clean source of water, and we can’t continue with this.
“They have to vacate the mine,” another farmer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Zim Morning Post.
Among the farmers demanding the removal of the mine from their area include farmers who are settled at Manzou Farm, which is owned by the former first lady, Grace Mugabe.
The mine has reportedly created dumbs in the area, which are said to be destroying pastures.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zimbabwe Environmental Agents (EMA) were fruitless as messages send to the entity’s spokesperson were not responded to at the time of publication.
The clash between the farmers and Chinese miner has led to the deployment of riot police in the area.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi could not readily confirm the intrinsic details regarding the operation.
“We will issue a statement today after lunch,” Nyathi told Zim Morning Post.
This publication understands that hundreds of police officers have since been deployed to Glendale, a sprawling mining settlement in Mashonaland Central.
Upon visiting the area, Zim Morning Post noticed that heavily armed police officers were patrolling the Mazowe area, where illegal miners had camped for easy access to the open cast mines.