Mudenda Condemns Mining in National Parks, Calls for Alternative Sites

Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Adv. Jacob Mudenda, has strongly opposed mining activities in Zimbabwe’s National Parks, emphasizing that protected areas should not be sacrificed for resource extraction when alternative sites exist.

Speaking during a meeting with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Tourism in Mutare, Mudenda stressed the urgent need to preserve the country’s natural heritage and environmental assets.

He called for coal mining operations to be redirected to alternative sites in Binga, preventing destruction and safeguarding the critical rhino habitats in Sinamathela.

His remarks come in response to a recent appeal from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), which urged the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to reject mining applications within Hwange National Park.