MINES and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando has been summoned to Parliament to answer questions on special mining leases issued since 2018.
Raising a matter of national interest in Parliament this week, Harare East legislator Tendai Biti said Chitando has to explain why special mining leases were being given to people without money.
“I rise on a point of national interest which pertains to the issue of special mining leases which are provided for under the Mines and Minerals Act, Chapter 21:03 ,” he said.
“These special mining leases in terms of Section 139 say these are huge investments that require a lot of money, say a minimum of US$100 million but you find that these special mining leases are now being granted to people that do not have money. They are now being distributed like cakes at a wedding,” he added.
“I am talking of the platinum leases like the one given to the Russian company, GDI which has stopped operating at the moment. These special mining leases are now too numerous. Another example is that of Manhize in Chivhu where there is mining of iron ore,” Biti said.
He requested Chitando to give a statement on special mining leases that he has given from 2018 to date indicating how much money was raised and the criteria used in awarding the licences.
Biti also questioned why Parliament was not involved in the issuance of these leases. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi Gezi said: “We have heard you and the message will be conveyed to Minister Chitando to come and make a ministerial statement in response to the issues you have raised.”
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