ZANU PF TURNS MINING OVERSIGHT INTO A GOLD MINE FOR THE CONNECTED
In yet another disturbing development that exposes the rot in Zimbabwe’s governance, Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya, a gold baron with direct ties to ZANU PF, has been appointed to the country’s parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Mineral Development. This is not just a controversial appointment—it is a slap in the face to every Zimbabwean who believes in accountability, transparency, and environmental justice.
The Mines and Mineral Development committee is supposed to be a watchdog, responsible for monitoring one of Zimbabwe’s most critical economic sectors. Yet, ZANU PF has placed one of its own loyalists—an active player in the very industry he is now expected to regulate—at the helm of this oversight role. Sakupwanya’s involvement in gold mining, particularly in Penhalonga, has long raised red flags over his company’s environmentally destructive activities and disregard for community welfare. Now, he is being handed the power to influence national mining policies.
This is not just bad optics. It is dangerous. Civil society organizations across the country have voiced strong opposition to this move, warning of an inevitable conflict of interest. How can someone deeply embedded in gold mining operations be trusted to regulate the industry objectively? Who will hold him—and others like him—accountable when environmental degradation worsens, when rivers are poisoned, and when villagers are displaced for profit?
The fear is not just theoretical. In Penhalonga, Sakupwanya’s operations have been repeatedly linked to land degradation, polluted water sources, and unsafe working conditions. Communities have watched their environment deteriorate while their concerns fall on deaf ears. His new role now grants him power to influence decisions that may shield similar practices from scrutiny, and that could turn parliamentary oversight into a protection racket for politically connected elites.
This appointment makes a mockery of the principles of good governance and sustainable development. Zimbabwe’s economy relies heavily on mining, both for foreign currency and employment. But it also relies on the trust of investors and the international community. When mining oversight is handed to insiders with personal stakes in the sector, that trust evaporates. It signals to the world that Zimbabwe is not serious about regulation, not serious about environmental protection, and not serious about ethical leadership.
ZANU PF’s reckless appointment of Sakupwanya reveals a broader crisis: the collapse of public institutions into extensions of private gain. Instead of independent checks and balances, we now see politically connected businesspeople writing the rules they will later benefit from. This is not governance—it is legalized looting.
If there was ever a time for serious reform, it is now. Civil society is right to demand a complete overhaul of how committee members are selected. Parliament must implement safeguards to prevent such blatant conflicts of interest. Oversight bodies should be composed of individuals with proven integrity and no direct financial interest in the sectors they oversee. Anything less will ensure that Zimbabwe’s wealth remains in the hands of a few while the majority suffer.
The appointment of Scott Sakupwanya is more than just another example of ZANU PF cronyism—it is a turning point. It is a test of whether Zimbabwe will continue down the road of elite capture and environmental destruction, or whether it will begin to rebuild institutions that truly serve the people.
The people of Zimbabwe deserve better than this. Our resources should not be a playground for the politically connected. This land, and everything beneath it, belongs to all of us—not just those who wear the right party regalia.
