Harare, (New Ziana) – Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda has added his voice in condemning proposals to conduct coal mining within the Hwange National Park, the country’s largest wildlife sanctuary, stressing the availability of alternative coal-rich locations.
A Chinese company, Sunny Yi Feng, recently submitted an application for an Exclusive Prospecting Order in the Matabeleland North mining district, specifically targeting the Sinamatella area within the Hwange
National Park.
Mudenda made his stance clear during an induction workshop for members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Tourism, asserting that mining should not take place in national parks.
“I will not subscribe to mining in national parks. The location identified for mining purposes is not the only place where coal can be found,” he said.
“We have coal deposits in the southern part of Binga, as well as in the southeast and southwest of Binga, virgin land with abundant coal reserves. Why disturb the delicate ecology of the animals there?” he
asked.
The coal mining proposal has also faced opposition from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
“ZimParks urges the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to cancel the application for exclusive prospecting rights in Hwange National Park, particularly targeting the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone. We implore the Ministry never to entertain such applications in the future,” ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said
in a statement last week.
Farawo further highlighted the environmental risks of the proposed mining venture, emphasizing its potential to increase the risk of species extinction and hindering the recovery of wildlife populations.
“The proposed mining project poses a significant threat to the environment, exacerbating land degradation-a critical issue for ZimParks, which has a mandate to restore at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and ecosystems by 2030,” he said.
Indications are that as of now, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has not yet responded to Sunny Yi Feng’s application.
New Ziana
