A fresh storm of corruption allegations has erupted in Mashonaland West, with former Norton MP Themba Mliswa accusing the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Marian Chombo, of actively undermining a government-approved river rehabilitation project in order to protect illegal gold mining interests.
According to official correspondence addressed to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, and copied to top government and law enforcement authorities, Chombo is allegedly leading a corrupt network of political and police actors, obstructing environmental conservation efforts along the Sanyati River—a critical waterway under ecological threat.
Cubs Den Consolidated, working in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), and other stakeholders, was granted legal authority to restore the river system within Rengwe Conservancy. The initiative seeks to combat rampant environmental degradation caused by illegal gold mining, which has damaged ecosystems and displaced wildlife.
However, as the project began preliminary assessments, an unauthorized entity—Leisure Fresh Pvt Ltd—backed by heavy machinery and police protection—moved onto the same site, allegedly under false pretenses of conducting river rehabilitation.
“Despite our lease rights and repeated reports to police, no action has been taken against these illegal encroachers,” wrote Mliswa in a letter dated 14 April 2025.
He says Leisure Fresh has no legitimate documentation, yet continues to operate openly—digging pathways into the river and establishing illegal camps—with apparent police complicity.
The heart of the allegations lies in what Mliswa describes as a well-oiled corruption scheme involving Minister Chombo, senior police officers, and illegal gold dealers. The letter specifically names:
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Assistant Commissioner Tawonei Nyazema (Mashonaland West Police Commander),
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Superintendent Kezias Karuru (Hurungwe District Officer in Command), and
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Minister Marian Chombo herself.
These individuals are accused of working together to facilitate and protect illegal mining operations, including the illegal issuing of river access under the guise of rehabilitation—a responsibility outside their legal jurisdiction.
“There’s reason to believe payments are being made to allocate pieces of the Sanyati River to illegal miners under the cover of environmental work,” Mliswa charged.
Mliswa further alleges that police have targeted legal project personnel in a campaign of intimidation designed to derail the Cubs Den-led effort. On April 4, a team member was arrested while setting up temporary shelters within the conservancy—far from the river and with no mining activity involved.
“The arrest was clearly political and intended to frame both myself and Mr. Edmore Kandira (a Central Committee member) to taint the project and protect vested interests,” Mliswa stated.
Notably, neither the project leaseholders nor EMA were informed of the arrest, which Mliswa says is part of a broader orchestrated effort to sabotage the government-sanctioned initiative.
This is not the first time Chombo’s name has been linked to illegal mining in the province. In 2024, following complaints by environmental groups, several miners connected to the same alleged syndicate were arrested for illegal riverbed extraction. Now, Mliswa suggests the same actors—emboldened by ministerial protection—are back in action.
“What we are witnessing is a Minister abusing her office to enable environmental crime, obstruct lawful operations, and enrich herself and her allies,” Mliswa warned.
In his letter, Mliswa appeals to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Office of the President, and other state institutions to launch an immediate investigation into what he calls an “organized cartel within government.”
“This level of corruption not only undermines lawful projects but also endangers communities, wildlife, and future generations by destroying critical ecosystems,” he added.
As Zimbabwe battles worsening environmental and economic crises, the Sanyati River scandal has become a litmus test for government accountability. If authorities fail to act against high-ranking officials like Minister Chombo, critics argue, it will confirm that corruption has fully infiltrated even the state’s environmental and law enforcement structures.
Repeated efforts to reach Minister Chombo, Assistant Commissioner Nyazema, and Superintendent Karuru for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
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