As a young man from Marange, in Manicaland, in the eastern side of Zimbabwe, victor never had interest in mineral resource governance issues. His interest was born through the diamond discovery in his backyard in Marange in 2007. The sudden diamond rush during this year and buzz around the diamonds in his rural home created an unsuspected interest in understanding the benefit and criticality of mineral resources. It is fortunate that in his quest to understand more about natural resources, he had been colonially confused for a while, but due to his persistence, he came across a popular controversial book by Tom Burgis called “The Looting Machine”. The book provides provocative details on the exploitation of natural resources and challenges mining communities face in most African countries. In the book, Tom Burgies speaks of the birth of the “resource case” narrative hinged on the political influence of Europe on Africa’s resources. The book took Victor back to his history studies at Marange Secondary School with Mr. Chitsinde who would passionately speak of the “Scramble for Africa”, and abundant mineral deposits in the continent being the reason for the scramble. He would speak of the diamonds in Congo, Oil in Nigeria, gold in South Africa, diamonds in Botswana, copper in Zambia and many others. What could not make sense to victor is the visible stinking penury that the continent is facing and the much touted mineral wealth. He could not relate the richness and the abject poverty most communities are subjected to. Trying to understand this conundrum brought the young man to some sad reality of the continent’s past and a gloomy future, which according to him is a reflection of a soft and modern colonization.
In witnessing it first hand as a little boy in the village, Victor described the chaos and abuse which the local people faced due to diamond discovery as horrific. The government later moved in to restore sanity and peace through the establishment of a system assumed to be better to allow the country to benefit from the diamond mining. The investments from Chinese mining companies such as Anjin Investments started to operate in Marange, in an agreement with the government but the process was not all smooth as some families had to be relocated. Additionally, over 900 families were relocated and some without proper compensations, economic survivor systems of many families were disrupted by the investments. The announcement by the former Zimbabwe President, H.E R.G. Mugabe that the country lost USD$15 Billion diamond revenue came as a spike to the heart of the young victor as he looked back at the plight of his community and how the money could have changed their lives.
In promoting sustainable mineral resource management, Civil society Organizations (CSO’s) in Zimbabwe have done much to influence policy reforms and advocate for transparency and accountability in the extractives industry. Training workshops and youth advocacy training conducted by civil society organizations such as Green Governance Zimbabwe in Marange brought so much light to the youth in as far as natural resources governance is consent. Just as some of the families were involuntarily moved from their ancestral land to pave way for mining operations, the communities were also left in the dark of the mining proceeds and revenue accrued from the extraction of the precious mineral. This apparently, has become a common case in almost all mining communities in Zimbabwe.
Driven by the desire to see change in the manner in which the mineral resources are managed, Victor and his fellow youth that had been illuminated by the youth advocacy initiatives by civil society organizations, decided to translate the knowledge into action that can bring change. It is upon engaging the local Member of Parliament who was at that time, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee (PPC) on Mines and Minerals Development. The information that the conversation unearthed led to the realization that “ownership does not mean control”. The law itself does not back the communities to demand revenue accrued from mineral extraction and communities are sidelined in contract agreements. Efforts to understand the nature of the contracts was like adding salt to a wound as the mining companies they engaged were arrogant as they informed the young enthusiast that their contract is with the government and not with the community.
The call to promote mineral revenue transparency and accountability in mining and the need to review mining laws in Zimbabwe by Green Governance and other Civil Society Organizations is a noble initiative fostering economic recovery and community development. Young people are indeed an integral part of this drive as they are the future that is best placed to defend the country’s natural wealth. Leaving youths and communities in natural wealth governance creates an opening for mineral revenue leakages and corruption especially looking at the green economies drive which is centered on strategic minerals such as lithium which the country is much endowed with. Victor and the youth “mineral public accountability” group are on a quest to educate and mobilize youths across Zimbabwe to influence mineral governance policy reform that will enable community development, with an end goal to not only own the resources but to also have control.