The Citizen Bulletin

04/07/2025

They Listened to Nature And Saved Their Cattle

In drought-stricken Matabeleland, farmers are reviving ancestral knowledge to protect their herds. These old ways are proving more reliable than forecasts and more vital than ever.

by Fairness Moyana

Amid the withering mopane trees and scorched shrubs of Kasibo in Hwange district Matabeleland North, a hunched figure moves deliberately through the forest. With practiced hands, 67-year-old Zwela Nyathi plucks dried tree pods and thorny shrub branches, inspecting them with the precision of someone who knows the weight of hunger—if not for himself, then for his cattle.

“These may look like useless sticks to you,” he says, holding up a twig bearing baobab fruit husks, “but they kept my herd alive when the grass died.”

As Zimbabwe reels from another devastating El Niño-induced drought, farmers in Matabeleland North, one of the country’s driest regions, are turning to an unlikely savior: ancient indigenous knowledge passed down through generations.

For Nyathi, that meant collecting pods from trees like acacia, baobab, and mopane, and storing them for months in anticipation of the worst. When the rains failed and the pastures withered, he was ready.

“I lost only two cows out of ten. My neighbors lost almost everything,” Zwela Nyathi says, his voice steady but tinged with regret.

In neighboring Jambezi, another farmer, Lingani Tshuma, has revived the practice of natural fodder collection. The 52-year-old widow says she learned it from her late grandmother.

“Back then, they didn’t have fancy stockfeed,” she laughs. “They had wisdom. When I noticed our pastures drying up in February, I started collecting mopane leaves, velvet beans, cowpea leaves, and baobab pods.”

Tshuma lost only one of her six cows, while her cousin, who didn’t store any fodder, buried four.

In the scorching heat of Binga district, also in Matabeleland North, 71-year-old village head Lusyomo Mumpande from Pashu shows how traditional knowledge can help communities withstand climate shocks. As the drought ravaged the region, thousands of cattle died, but Mumpande’s herd of 12 survived largely intact, thanks to a method passed down through generations.

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01/07/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 1 July 2025

Official Announcement: Africa Journalism and Media Summit 2025 to be Held 19–21 November

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — The Zimbabwe Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ZCMIL) is pleased to announce that the Africa Journalism and Media Summit (AJMS) 2025 will be held from November 19 to 21, 2025, under the theme “Trust, Verification, and Accountability in a Post-Truth Era.”

Organized annually by ZCMIL, AJMS is one of the leading platforms for reimagining journalism, innovation, and sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa. The 2025 event is supported by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe.

This year’s summit takes place against a backdrop of accelerating threats to the future of journalism, ranging from the rise of generative AI and platform dominance to the erosion of audience trust, the collapse of traditional revenue models, and increasingly restrictive media policies. Across Zimbabwe and Sub-Saharan Africa, journalists and public-interest media actors are grappling with new questions of truth, authority, and accountability in a deeply fragmented information environment.

AJMS 2025 will bring together a powerful cross-section of journalists, editors, researchers, civil society actors, donors, and policymakers to interrogate these trends and co-create sustainable responses. The summit will address emerging forms of information disorder, explore opportunities in the creator economy, and surface policy frameworks that protect journalism while enabling innovation.

The 2025 edition will adopt a hybrid format. Days one and two (November 19–20) will be held virtually, and will feature keynotes, masterclasses, and cross-border dialogue sessions accessible to participants from across the continent. Day three (November 21) will take place in person in Harare and will bring together stakeholders for high-level policy and strategy conversations on journalism collaboration, financing, and governance.

“By anchoring this year’s summit on the theme of trust and verification, we are asserting that journalism still matters, even in a post-truth age,” said Divine Dube, AJMS Chief Curator. “This is about building a future for African journalism that is bold, resilient, and grounded in public purpose.”

Expressions of interest to co-host sessions, lead self-organized discussions, contribute in-kind support, or sponsor delegate participation are open until 15 July 2025 via this form: https://forms.gle/N22jxkyGdQ4AYMWS7.

For media inquiries, speaker suggestions, or partnership discussions, please contact the undersigned:

Douglas Ncube
Associate Curator – Programming

[email protected] | [email protected]
WhatsApp: +263 77 644 6181

28/04/2025

‘They Just Take, They Don’t Give Back’: Chinese Mining Fuels Anger in Gwanda

Chinese mining companies take water, sand, and minerals but give nothing back. Locals are left with dry rivers, dead fish, and growing anger.

BY LYNNIA NGWENYA

In Capital Block, a resettlement area in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, villagers are growing frustrated. Many once welcomed Chinese mining investments with the hope of development and improved livelihoods but those hopes have turned into anger.

“When they came, we saw development in our area,” says Phineas Siziba, a villager. “We expected things like clean, sustainable water sources near our homes. But now, we’re worse off.”

Communities in Vova, Plot 18, and around Salelema Dam rely on limited water sources, including the dam itself—which often runs dry—and another dam at Plot 17, which is far from most homesteads.

Instead of easing the water crisis, residents say Chinese mining companies extract water directly from these local sources, sometimes operating within the dams.

Read more here:

Chinese mining companies take water, sand, and minerals but give nothing back. Locals are left with dry rivers, dead fish, and growing anger.

15/04/2025

The River No One Drinks From Anymore

Once a lifeline for villages in Hwange, the Deka River is now choked by pollution and neglect. As Chinese mining operations expand, residents are left with poisoned water, shattered schools, and broken promises.

Read the full article here:

Once a lifeline for villages in Hwange, the Deka River is now choked by pollution and neglect. As Chinese mining operations expand, residents are left with poisoned water, shattered schools, and broken promises.

01/04/2025

Subscribe to The Viability Pulse — a newsletter by the Zimbabwe Independent Journalism Fund (ZIJF) spotlighting the bold experiments and behind-the-scenes stories of local journalism resilience.

https://medium.com/zimbabwe-independent-journalism-fund/newsletters/the-viability-pulse

24/03/2025

Independent Newsrooms Establish Journalism Fund

24 March 2025, Harare, Zimbabwe

We are proud to announce the establishment of the Zimbabwe Independent Journalism Fund (ZIJF)—a groundbreaking initiative created by and for digital-first independent news organizations in Zimbabwe, aimed at addressing the long-standing sustainability crisis facing the country’s media landscape.

The Fund was formally established on 22 March 2025 by a consortium of nearly 10 pioneering independent news organizations (to be unveiled at the official launch), ranging from investigative to hyperlocal outlets. All are united by a shared vision: to build a strong, sustainable, and locally owned future for independent journalism in Zimbabwe.

For years, independent news outlets in Zimbabwe have operated under enormous strain. Many have relied on short-term project grants, navigated hostile political and economic environments, and functioned without the safety net of long-term institutional support. These conditions have led to burnout, reporting inconsistency, and—in some cases—the closure of vital public-interest media initiatives.

The establishment of ZIJF is a step towards changing this trajectory. The Fund seeks to pool philanthropic resources into a single, coordinated mechanism that provides core operational support, innovation funding, and tailored capacity-building for credible, independent journalism in Zimbabwe.

What sets ZIJF apart is that it’s a long-term, newsroom-led solution—not a one-off response to donor funding calls. It is governed by independent, digital-first news organizations and built to support their sustainability. Unlike short-lived consortiums, ZIJF offers a permanent, collaborative platform for flexible funding, shared capacity, and innovation—anchored in transparency, editorial independence, and local ownership.

At its core, ZIJF seeks to:

- Support sustainability through long-term, flexible funding;
- Strengthen collaboration between independent media actors;
- Promote innovation in revenue generation, audience engagement, and news product development;
- Support digital transformation in newsrooms and adaptation to evolving technologies; and
- Broaden access to credible, community-focused, and mission-driven journalism in news deserts.

The Fund is led by a Consortium Council elected by its member organizations:

Chairperson: Tawanda Majoni – veteran journalist, director of the Information for Development Trust, and editor of NewsHub.

Secretary & Coordinator: Divine Dube – dynamic journalism innovator, director of the Zimbabwe Centre for Media and Information Literacy, and executive editor of The Citizen Bulletin.

Treasurer: Golden Maunganidze – leading journalism academic and director of TellZim.

Together with other elected members of the consortium—who will be unveiled at the launch—they will guide the strategic and operational direction of the Fund during its formative phase.

ZIJF reflects a new way of thinking: that journalism sustainability cannot be outsourced, and that journalists themselves must shape how the profession is supported, protected, and strengthened. It marks a shift from ad hoc, short-term project funding to long-term support grounded in media viability frameworks.

As we begin this new chapter, we invite funders, regional allies, and global media development partners to join us. The future of journalism in Zimbabwe—and in similarly under-resourced contexts across the Global South—will depend not only on what we report, but on how we organize to sustain that reporting.

We have made our move. The next chapter of independent journalism in Zimbabwe begins now.

For more information, partnership inquiries, or media requests, please contact the undersigned.

Issued on behalf of the Consortium Council:

Divine Dube
Secretary & Coordinator
Zimbabwe Independent Journalism Fund
[email protected]

Tawanda Majoni
Chairperson
Zimbabwe Independent Journalism Fund
[email protected]

10/03/2025

Villagers Fight for Clean Air

Dust clouds choke villages, water sources are polluted, and illnesses are rising. As Chinese lithium mining booms, communities are left struggling for breath.

by Lynnia Ngwenya

For 53 years, Martha Noko breathed the fresh, clean air of Mandihongola in Gwanda, Matabeleland South. That changed when Chinese lithium mining began polluting her village, leaving her struggling for breath.

Now, she struggles to hold back tears as she recalls how her life changed after being diagnosed with a lung infection in early 2024—a condition she believes is caused by the dust-laden air from Chinese lithium mining operations in her village.

“There is dust everywhere, and nothing is being done about it,” Noko says. “Our entire community is against these mining operations, but nobody listens. The doctor suspects my illness is caused by inhaling this polluted air.”

“Can’t anyone hear us? Can’t anyone rescue us from these ruthless Chinese operations?” says Noko.

When Crawford Mineral and Dinson Mining Investment, subsidiaries of China’s Tsingshan Group, started operations in Mandihongola, Ward 11 of Gwanda South in 2022, locals hoped for jobs, development, and economic upliftment.

Instead, they now face toxic dust clouds, contaminated water, and a growing health crisis.

Since mining operations began, villagers have raised concerns about the excessive dust and chemical pollution, but their complaints have gone unanswered.

“If nothing is done, we will die, and they will mine as they please on the land of our ancestors,” Noko says. “The painful part is that the (central) government is silent.”

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has condemned mining practices that contribute to air pollution, warning that exposure to chemical dust and emissions can cause chronic lung diseases, respiratory infections, and even lung cancer.

However, enforcement remains weak, leaving communities vulnerable to unregulated mining activities.

Beyond air quality concerns, mining activities have also contaminated local water sources, villagers claim. In 2022, EMA condemned the leakage of a tailings dam at Dinson Mining Investment, which disposed of toxic chemicals into the community.

“We requested the dam to be fixed since it had some leakages. However, we are yet to follow up to assess the impact of the heavy rains received early this year,” says Decent Ndlovu, EMA’s Matabeleland South Provincial Director.

At Ntalale Clinic, a local health worker, Mavis*, confirms a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses in recent months.

“We have received many cases of respiratory infections and other conditions we cannot treat due to a shortage of medication,” she says. “We strongly believe the lithium operations nearby are the main cause. When people inhale contaminated air, their lungs and other respiratory organs are at serious risk.”

Read the full story investigative story here:

Dust clouds choke villages, water sources are polluted, and illnesses are rising. As Chinese lithium mining booms, communities are left struggling for breath.

10/03/2025

Voicenote: Lynnia Ngwenya, The Citizen Bulletin

Dust chokes her village, and now she struggles to breathe. This is Martha’s story.

Read Martha Noko’s full story here: https://thecitizenbulletin.org/series-story/villagers-fight-for-clean-air/

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06/03/2025

🔥Blood, Sweat, and Coal: The Hidden Cost of Hwange’s Mining Boom 🏭💰

Hwange’s coal mines fuel Zimbabwe’s economy, but at what cost? Behind the black dust and roaring machines are workers risking their lives for meager wages, communities battling environmental destruction, and families struggling to survive.

🚨 Who really benefits from this coal rush? And who pays the price?

Read the full investigative story here 👉 https://thecitizenbulletin.org/series-story/blood-sweat-and-coal/

💬 What’s your take? Should economic growth come at the cost of human lives and the environment?

Dangerous fumes, meager wages, and zero accountability—while Chinese mining companies thrive in Hwange, local workers pay the ultimate price. Injuries go unpaid, safety is ignored, and complaints are silenced.

04/03/2025

Blood, Sweat and Coal
Dangerous fumes, meager wages, and zero accountability—while Chinese mining companies thrive in Hwange, local workers pay the ultimate price. Injuries go unpaid, safety is ignored, and complaints are silenced.

by Fairness Moyana

The air is thick with toxic fumes as workers in worn jeans and faded shirts toil at the coke oven battery. The only protective gear in sight is a pair of tattered gloves, hastily pulled over rough, cracked hands.

This is the harsh reality for workers at some of the Chinese coking plants in Hwange district, Matabeleland North.

At the heart of the coke oven battery, the acrid smell of sulfur and coal lingers in the air. The workers, mostly in their 30s and 40s, move with a sense of resignation, their faces etched with the lines of hard labor and exposure to toxic gases.

“We’re not just workers; we’re treated like slaves. The company doesn’t care about our health. They just want to make money, no matter the cost, ” says Mthulisi Ndlovu*, a 35-year-old coke oven worker.

The workers’ concerns are well-founded.

According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, exposure to coke oven emissions increases the risk of lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer. Additionally, a study published by the National Library of Medicine found that long-term exposure to coke oven emissions is associated with reduced lung function and a higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

“I’ve been working here for three years, and I’ve seen many colleagues fall ill with strange coughs,” says Arnold Lungu*, 40. “Some have been badly injured. But the company ignores our complaints and tells us to keep working.”

Despite the risks, workers are reluctant to speak out. Fear of retaliation and job loss is palpable.

“If we complain, the company will fire us,” Ndlovu says. “We’re already struggling to make ends meet. We can’t afford to lose our jobs.”

Their fears are justified. Zimbabwe’s labor laws are often poorly enforced, allowing companies to operate with impunity. Workers who speak out against their employers risk dismissal.

An investigation by The Citizen Bulletin revealed rampant labor violations at most of the Chinese coking plants in and around Hwange. The main concerns include a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and wage theft.

While the National Employment Council (NEC) states that the lowest-paid worker (Grade 1) in the mining sector should earn $372.75 per month, many workers receive between $100 and $150. A wage circular obtained by The Citizen Bulletin confirms that employers must pay at least $253.47 in U.S. dollars, with the remainder in local currency (ZiG), pegged at the prevailing auction rate.

Despite these regulations, most Chinese employers circumvent labor laws by offering short-term contracts of three to six months, preventing workers from gaining permanent status or benefits.

In Hwange, Chinese coking companies—including Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coking Company, South Mining, Zhong Jiang, Dinson Colliery, Zimberly, Zim Hwange Coal Company, Tutu, and Jinani—have invested heavily in coal extraction and processing, creating much-needed jobs.

But beneath the surface of this investment lies a disturbing reality.

Workers at these coking plants face hazardous conditions, exposure to toxic chemicals, and blatant disregard for their rights.

“We work without proper protective gear, and coal dust is everywhere,” says Thomas*, 32, a worker at Jinani. “Many of my colleagues have fallen ill, but the company doesn’t care.”

Kelvin Chuma*, 35, winces in pain as he struggles to sit up in his hospital bed. His body is broken, his spirit shaken.

“I was one of 60 workers crammed into a tipper truck when we got into an accident,” he recalls. “The company refused to provide proper transport, so we had no choice. Everything happened so fast. When I woke up, I was in a hospital with broken limbs. I later heard that people had died.”

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04/03/2025

Blood, Sweat and Coal

Dangerous fumes, meager wages, and zero accountability—while Chinese mining companies thrive in Hwange, local workers pay the ultimate price. Injuries go unpaid, safety is ignored, and complaints are silenced.

“We’re not just workers; we’re treated like slaves. The company doesn’t care about our health. They just want to make money, no matter the cost,” says Mthulisi Ndlovu*, a 35-year-old coke oven worker.

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28/02/2025

The Cost of Chinese Mining in Matabeleland

Who really profits from Chinese mining in Matabeleland? While investors cash in, local communities are left with dust, debt, and destruction.

by The Citizen Bulletin

Matabeleland’s mineral wealth was supposed to drive the local economy. Instead, Chinese mining investments have left communities grappling with environmental degradation, labor exploitation, and worsening health conditions.

While investors reap the rewards, locals are left breathing toxic dust, drinking contaminated water, and fighting for fair wages.

Our series, Exploited Ground, has uncovered the devastating impact of Chinese mining operations on communities across Matabeleland. Families who once relied on natural water sources now struggle as mining companies extract thousands of liters daily from rivers and boreholes, leaving entire villages without access to the precious liquid.

In Gwanda South, lithium mining has worsened an already dire situation, forcing residents to walk long distances in search of drinking water. According to a report by Information for Development Trust (IDT) titled Purses and Curses: Impact of Chinese Mining on Local Communities in Zimbabwe, 80% of those affected say Chinese investments have harmed their communities.

But water shortages are just the beginning. Our investigation found that Chinese mining firms have moved into communal lands without consultation or compensation. Villagers in affected areas say they were not informed of pending displacements, and once mining operations began, they had little recourse. Local councils and government agencies responsible for mining and land administration have largely ignored their grievances, allowing mining companies to continue unchecked.

Figures obtained by IDT in 2023 confirm that 64% of those negatively affected by Chinese mining operations are local people, while 25% are artisanal miners—once the backbone of local economies—who have seen their livelihoods vanish.

The environmental impact is accompanied by a public health crisis. Inhaling dust from mining sites has become a daily reality for many residents in Gwanda and Hwange, where respiratory illnesses are rising. Health workers report a spike in lung infections and other conditions, particularly among those living near lithium and coal mines.

The air pollution from coke plants in Hwange is another major concern, with toxic emissions lingering over nearby communities. Investigations by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) have documented how mining firms fail to manage waste properly, contaminating local water sources. Despite repeated complaints, residents and experts alike say authorities have been slow to act.

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