Current Affairs Zimbabwe

Tag: Ministryofmines

  • Mines minister Kambamura expands academic portfolio

    Mines minister Kambamura expands academic portfolio

    By Nigel Pfunde

    MUTARE – Mines and Minerals Development Minister Dr. Eng. Polite Kambamura has been conferred with a Master in Public Policy and Governance by Africa University, further bolstering his credentials to lead Zimbabwe’s strategic mining sector.

    The conferment took place on June 6 in Mutare,another qualification to the minister’s already exceptional academic record. Dr. Kambamurs now holds a BSc Honours Degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe (2002), an MBA, a PhD in Mining Engineering, a Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Management with Distinction and the Vice Chancellor’s Award, alongside international certifications in Finance, Economics, and Mining Business Optimisation.

    He is also pursuing a PhD in Business Management Entrepreneurship at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

    A senior official in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, who spoke on condition of being quoted as a government representative, congratulated the minister on his latest achievement.

    “This is a milestone that we celebrate as a ministry. His continued pursuit of knowledge sets a benchmark for all of us. We are confident that this qualification in Public Policy and Governance will enhance decision-making and policy direction in the mining sector,” said the official.

    The Master’s degree in Public Policy and Governance is seen as particularly relevant to his portfolio, as the mining sector remains central to Zimbabwe’s national economic transformation agenda. His enhanced competence in governance, public accountability, sustainability and resource management is expected to strengthen policy implementation in the extractive industry.

    Beyond his personal advancement, Dr. Kambamura’s academic journey serves as an inspiration to young professionals and public servants.

    His ability to pursue rigorous academic programmes while serving in demanding public office shows that leadership requires continuous learning and perseverance.

    Officials say his example is already encouraging young Zimbabweans to upgrade their skills and pursue higher education as a tool for national development.

  • Minister orders culture shift in Mines ministry,sets sights on “Best Performing” govt department by year end

    Minister orders culture shift in Mines ministry,sets sights on “Best Performing” govt department by year end

    By Nyasha Chuma

    HARARE – Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr.Eng Polite Kambamura on Thursday issued a direct challenge to his ministry’s staff, declaring that “good enough is no longer good enough” and setting a hard deadline for the ministry to become the best-performing in the entire Government by the close of 2026.

    Addressing senior officials, directors, and provincial officers at Jameson Hotel, Kambamura said the ministry’s ambition to help drive Zimbabwe towards an upper-middle-income society under Vision 2030 would fail unless the institution itself underwent a fundamental change in work culture and mindset.

    “If we want a world-class mining industry, we must first become a world-class Ministry,” Kambamura told the gathering. “Excellence is not an accident; it is a discipline. It is built one well-handled file, one honest decision and one met deadline at a time.”

    The Minister, who was speaking under the theme “Towards the Best-Performing Ministry in Government – 2026”, said the target would be measured strictly by results – not promises. He demanded punctuality, presence, mastery of the Mines and Minerals Act, and uniform service for all citizens regardless of their connections.

    “The citizen who walks into our offices, or the miner working far from this building, must receive the same standard of service as the most powerful applicant,” he said.

    Kambamura also declared zero tolerance for corruption, warning that any officer who solicited a bribe, traded a decision for a favour, or leaked privileged information would be treated as having betrayed the nation.

    “Any officer who solicits a bribe, who trades a decision for a favour, who leaks privileged information or who looks the other way for personal gain, betrays not only this institution but the nation itself,” Kambamura said.

    “A clean Ministry is a strong Ministry.”

    In a separate major announcement, the Minister revealed the immediate establishment of a 24-Hour Mining Accident Response Call Centre, following the deaths of 64 artisanal and small-scale miners in the first quarter of this year alone.

    “When a miner is trapped underground at two o’clock in the morning, the speed of our response will be measured in lives,” Kambamura said. “Let it never be said that help came too late because no one was listening.”

    The centre will operate a single national number, logging every report of collapse or entrapment and coordinating rescue services around the clock.

    Kambamura ended with a direct appeal to staff to abandon mediocrity and embrace personal accountability citing drinking during working hours by some staffers.

    “What remains is the resolve of every man and woman in this room,” he said. “Let us go out and make this the finest year in the history of this Ministry.”

  • Govt injects fresh capital to boost mine safety as Minister Kambamura declares “Zero Harm Non-Negotiable”

    Govt injects fresh capital to boost mine safety as Minister Kambamura declares “Zero Harm Non-Negotiable”

    By Nyasha Chuma

    HARARE – Government has committed significant new financial resources to strengthen mine safety enforcement nationwide, Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon. Dr. Polite Kambamura announced while addressing the Inspectors of Mines Workshop in Harare Monday

    Kambamura said Treasury has released funding to equip and capacitate the national Inspectorate of Mines, and emphasized that “no mineral wealth is worth a single Zimbabwean life.” The intervention comes as the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining sector recorded 64 fatalities between January and March 2026.

    Government is procuring modern safety audit kits, vehicles and protective gear for all provincial inspectorate offices to improve rapid response and site inspections. The funding package also covers recruitment and specialised training of additional mine safety inspectors to close enforcement gaps in high-risk districts.

    A digital compliance tracking system is being rolled out to monitor ASM operations and flag unsafe sites in real time.

    Minister Kambamura directed inspectors to adopt a “zero tolerance” approach, stressing that the financial injection must translate into measurable reductions in accidents.

    “The State is investing in life. Inspectors must enforce compliance without fear or favour,” he said.

    The Ministry confirmed the resources form part of Government’s push to ensure mining growth is anchored on worker safety, with further disbursements earmarked in the 2026/2027 budget cycle.