Zimbabwe is set to deploy mining officers in every district, a move aimed at supporting women miners and strengthening small-scale mining across the country.
The government is set to establish mining offices in every district across the country, a transformative decentralisation drive aimed at bringing technical expertise closer to women miners who have long struggled without adequate support, Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon. Eng. Fred Moyo has announced.
By Rudairo Maparanga
Speaking at a high-level event on “The Role of Women in Responsible Sourcing: Strengthening Support Mechanisms for Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Zimbabwe and Beyond,” hosted by the Zimbabwe Women in Mining Association (ZAWIMA), the Deputy Minister outlined a sweeping vision to embed mining governance at the grassroots level.
“How do we educate each other in terms of SHEQ practices so that there won’t be accidents and hazards to the environment and people? We want to see how best we can work together,” Hon. Eng. Moyo said.
The Deputy Minister emphasised the need for refresher courses and business training to formalise women’s mining operations.
“We want to see if we can do refresher courses. We also want to see if we can do business formally. Business training is important, even in terms of tax payments. Even if we look for funds or loans for your businesses, it will be easier for us to do that.”
The centrepiece of Hon. Eng. Moyo’s address was the announcement that the government has applied to the Public Works Department for approval to establish mining offices in every district, filling a critical gap in the current governance structure.
“We have a three-tier government: national, provincial, and district. However, all districts have similar national structures, but mining is not present. We have applied to the Public Works Department for offices of Mines to be present in every district.”
This decentralisation, he argued, would fundamentally transform how mining is governed at the local level, with particular benefits for women miners who often lack access to technical expertise.
“If we have officers in districts, we will be able to reduce disputes. The officer will be responsible for tracking mining claims in their districts.”
The Deputy Minister also called on women’s mining associations to provide accurate data on their membership and production, enabling the government to tailor support programmes effectively.
“As a government, we also want to know how many women are involved in mining, so associations should give us the numbers so we know. Formalise yourselves. We also want to know how much gold is coming from women. We need to walk together.”
Earlier, Senator Appolinia Munzverengwi, speaking on the sidelines of the same event, highlighted the persistent challenges women miners face despite growing participation in the sector.
“Mining is a very big industry, and I’m happy to see the Deputy Minister of Mines coming to address women in mining. He wants to understand what is happening in the countryside in terms of production and women who are into mining. He also wants to know how many we are as women and what issues the ministry can assist with.”
The Senator noted that while women are increasingly involved in mining, they face significant structural barriers that district-level officers could help address.
“Women do have title over their mines, but the technical expertise is not there, and the capital is not there. So most of the time they’ll be just following tracers instead of mining the actual belt.”
This lack of technical knowledge means women often mine inefficiently, following surface indicators rather than targeting the actual mineral belt, a problem that on-the-ground technical support could help solve.
Senator Munzverengwi welcomed the Deputy Minister’s announcement on decentralisation.
“I was happy to hear that they are now putting in place district officers. We hope these officers will assist our women, because when you mine you need to know exactly where your strike is, the movement of the belt.”
The Senator recalled the 2026 International Women’s Day commemorations, hosted by Minister of Women Affairs Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa in Bindura, as evidence of the government’s recognition of women’s growing role in mining.
“The mining sector is another sector where women are now involved. They are into mining but with a bit of difficulty.”
The Deputy Minister’s message was clear: formalisation is the gateway to support. Women miners who register with associations, document their production, and operate within the law will be positioned to access training, financing, and technical assistance.
“We need to walk together,” he emphasised.
For the women gathered at the ZAWIMA-hosted event, the promise of district mining officers represents a potential lifeline—technical expertise brought to their doorsteps, dispute resolution mechanisms close to their operations, and a government presence that understands local conditions.
The initiative, if successfully implemented, could fundamentally alter the landscape for women in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, moving them from the margins to the mainstream, from tracer mining to targeted extraction, and from informality to formal participation in the country’s mining future.
