Mines deputy minister Kambamura has been sucked in a mining wrangle pitting his ally Hillary Mutandwa against Phillip Makunze, a leaked police memo from Sanyati Police Station to Kadoma district police officer has revealed.
According to the memo, the mine initially belonged to a Chinese national, He Xinwei, who was booted out after the community discovered that he was mining gold instead of quartz which was on his mining certificate.
Sources alleged that the deputy minister, who is also Sanyati MP, used Zanu PF youth district chairperson Emmanuel Moyo to hound out the Chinese businessman. Moyo used to work for He Xinwei.
“Sometime in March 2020, Birthday Gift 4 Mine, under the directorship of He Xinwei, vacated the place after the local community accused the company of fraudulently mining gold contrary to their original mandate of mining quartz,” read the memo.
The Chinese national is now into selling mining equipment in Kadoma.
Unbeknown to Moyo who was now in charge of the mine, Kambamura allegedly helped his ally, Hillary Mutandwa to get a mining certificate for quartz at the same mine.
“I thought it was going to be a community mine, I was shocked to discover that the deputy minister (Kambamura) helped someone to have the mining licence. It has been years since we vacated the mine,” Moyo said.
According to the mining certificate issued to Mutandwa, his mine is still using the name Birthday Gift 4 which is for quartz mining purposes. The certificate also indicates that the claim is situated on Sachuru State land, about 1,8km north-west of Umfuli Tsetse Camp.
- Mine wrangle sucks in deputy minister
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“Hillary Mutandwa is suspected to be enjoying the backing of a member of the National Assembly for Sanyati constituency who is also the deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura in his mining endeavours,” the police memo added.
Makunze also produced a mining certificate leading to a standoff with Mutandwa. Makunze is said to have the backing of officials from the army.
“On the other hand, Phillip Makunze is believed to be enjoying the backing of General Katsvairo from the Military Intelligence wing, who fronts Obey Gwenhure. Obey Gwenhure is also believed to be a lieutenant in the Airforce of Zimbabwe and stationed at Jason Ziyaphapha Airbase,” further read the memo.
The warring parties have approached the district mining director, but the dispute remains unresolved.
Contacted for comment, officer commanding Kadoma district Gamuchirai Makota said she was in a meeting, while Kambamura was not answering his mobile phone.
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