Chief halts dam construction at Kaguvi Shrine

A TRADITIONAL leader has ordered a foreign-owned mining company to stop constructing a dam near the burial shrine of First Chimurenga heroes Sekuru Kaguvi and Chinengundu Mashayamombe, escalating a heritage dispute that has triggered community outrage and prompted government investigation.

The dispute pits villagers, war veterans and traditional leaders against GritMine Minerals, which they accuse of threatening one of Zimbabwe’s most revered national heritage sites. The shrine, where rainmaking ceremonies have been held for generations, is regarded as the spiritual home of the First Chimurenga and has become the centre of growing demands for stronger protection of cultural heritage.

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