By Fanuel Chinowaita
Kamativi, 31 December 2025 – Human rights activist and Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) director Farai Maguwu has raised alarm over the alleged transportation of lithium and other undeclared minerals from Kamativi to China, warning that Zimbabwe is losing strategic resources through poor governance and weak oversight.
In a statement accompanied by photographs circulating on social media, Maguwu claimed that Zimbabwe is effectively subsidising China through the export of raw and allegedly misdeclared minerals.
“Good people, kana mazogara, Zim is the biggest donor to China, and not the other way round. Lithium and other undeclared minerals are ready for China from Kamativi,” said Maguwu. “This country does not just need new leaders, it needs patriotic and visionary leaders who can stop this shame.”
Maguwu questioned the composition of the minerals allegedly being exported, arguing that lithium constitutes only a small fraction of the material being shipped.
“Imagine, in those bags, only 4.1 percent is lithium; what is the 95.9 percent? Are they fools who just carry soil to China?” he said.
He further challenged state institutions, particularly the security sector, to intervene and protect the country’s natural resources.
“Checkpoint: in pictures below, huge bags of lithium and other undeclared minerals are ready to be transported to China from Kamativi,” Maguwu said. “With what Zimbabwe has, if we are to have good leadership, we will be one of the best countries in the world. Zimbabwe National Army, you are watching this? Who’s going to defend this country?”
The claims come amid growing public concern over transparency, beneficiation, and accountability in Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, which has attracted significant foreign interest in recent years.
Government authorities, mining regulators, and security agencies had not yet responded to Maguwu’s allegations at the time of publication.