In a no holds barred meeting between local church leaders and Manicaland Governor Chris Mushohwe, Anglican Bishop Sebastian Bakare said it was disheartening that local people were being sidelined in the mining of diamond while foreigners were looting and lining their pockets.
“The gems must benefit the local people not foreigners. Locals are languishing in abject poverty while foreigners are exploiting the resources for their benefit,” said Bakare.
While a number of foreign owned companies were granted licences by The then Zanu (PF) government to start mining the diamonds in the area, churches have noted with concern that local people have remained poor while no infrastructure such as clinics and tarred roads has been put in place.
The Bishop said government should establish a diamond polishing and cutting centre to create employment for local youths.
Another church leader, Rev Jonathan Chindewere, said the province was experiencing a myriad of challenges chief among them erratic power supply and poor road networks which have become death
traps whilst many foreign companies such as Chinese-owned Anjin and Sino were taking the diamonds.
The churches also requested to be granted permission to go into Chiadzwa diamond field to preach the word of God and stop politically motivated violence that has rocked the diamond areas in recent months.
Chiadzwa was declared a no go area in 2008 after security forces launched an operation to flush out illegal diamond panners and foreign
buyers from Mozambique, Lebanon, Dubai and China who had flooded the area in search of the precious gems.
Mushohwe shifted from the focus of the discussion and instead pestered church leaders to focus on denouncing `sanctions`. He was at pains convince the meeting that it was indeed the `sanctions` not greed and corruption that had lowered the standard of living for the ordinary Zimbabweans.
Mushohwe is reportedly vying for Mutare West constituency seat, which includes Chiadzwa and Marange.
Post published in: Zimbabwe News