By Fanuel Chinowaita
Mutare | 22 October 2025 – Transparency International Zimbabwe (TI Z) yesterday held a community engagement meeting in Bocha, Mutare, bringing together traditional leaders, local authorities, and community organisations to discuss transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
The meeting, held under the Southern Africa Resource Governance (SAFRAG) Programme, sought to promote inclusive dialogue and empower citizens to demand accountability from mining companies operating in the Marange diamond fields.
TI Z official Fadzayi Jekemu said the organisation’s vision is to see “a Zimbabwean society free from all forms and practices of corruption”, adding that transparency and integrity must guide operations in the mining sector. She said the engagements aim to bridge gaps between companies, communities, and traditional leaders to ensure fair benefit-sharing.
“Communities, especially women and youth, should participate meaningfully in governance processes. It is through such participation that corruption is reduced and development strengthened,” she said.
Headman Aid Fungai Wagoneka of Mukwada commended the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) for assisting local families through corporate social responsibility programmes. He said the company has been paying school fees for some children in the community and has shown willingness to support local development initiatives.
“We appreciate that ZCDC is helping some families by paying school fees for children. The company has also indicated willingness to release funds for community projects, but the problem lies with the disorganisation within our community trust structures,” said Headman Wagoneka.
He added that the relationship between the community and the mining company has improved over the years following dialogue and cooperation.
“At first, there were challenges in communication, but now we have a good working relationship. We agreed that the company should employ our children and assist us with community projects while respecting our sacred sites,” he said.
Wagoneka encouraged communities to strengthen their internal accountability systems to ensure transparency in the management of community funds and trust operations.
Ward 25 Councillor Jarawani said councillors were often left out of discussions involving mining operations.
“On the issue of transparency, there is something wrong. As councillors, we have not been engaged. Things must start from below,” he said.
Some residents also called for improved coordination, citing delays in payments for goods and services supplied to mining companies and concerns over incomplete borehole projects.
TI Z’s Fadzayi urged communities to embrace citizen monitoring tools such as report cards and budget tracking to hold both local authorities and mining companies accountable. She noted that communication gaps and limited feedback mechanisms continued to hinder transparency.
Cosmos Sunguro, representing the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU), said there was still room for progress if communities remained engaged and informed.
“All hope is not lost. There is need for meaningful engagement and citizen monitoring that ensures host communities benefit from their mineral resources as envisaged by section 13(4) of the Constitution,” he said.
The meeting, attended by Marange Women’s Alliance (MWA)and ZIDAWU, was hosted by Transparency International Zimbabwe as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in Zimbabwe’s extractive sector.
The Bocha engagement marked another step in TI Z’s SAFRAG Programme to promote social accountability in mining governance. The organisation aims to empower communities—especially women and youth—to participate in decision-making processes that influence natural resource management and benefit-sharing.
The meeting concluded with a collective call for stronger collaboration between mining companies, traditional leaders, and local authorities to ensure that mineral wealth translates into tangible community development and lasting social justice.
