27 machete killings in Silobela alone

HOME Affairs deputy minister Mike Madiro on Thursday told Senate that machete-wielding gangsters committed 27 murders in Silobela alone from January 2019 to date.

He was responding to a question by Mashonaland Central Senator Alice Chimbudzi who had asked him to explain measures being taken by government to protect small-scale miners from attacks by machete-wielding gangsters.

“Illegal artisanal miners are not only committing violent crimes such as murder, robbery, rape and assault, but they are also causing serious environmental degradation, soil erosion, deforestation, loss of biodiversity as well as contamination of soil, ground and surface water caused by chemicals emitted from illegal mining activities,” Madiro said.

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