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In a sweeping vision for transformation, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Henrietta Rushwaya has unveiled a comprehensive strategic roadmap designed to formalise, professionalise, and significantly grow the country’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, which is responsible for the majority of Zimbabwe’s gold output, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Addressing the ZMF 2026 strategic meeting on Thursday, Ms Henrietta Rushwaya declared that the federation’s core mission is to transition miners “from informal survival to professional, profitable and safe businesses.” The blueprint rests on several interconnected pillars aimed at aligning the sector with national development goals and global standards.
Formalisation Through Digital Innovation
Central to the strategy is the aggressive rollout of the digital Gold Card system. This biometric ID will serve as a miner’s official passport into the formal economy, digitally logging identity details, location, and production data. Rushwaya positioned this as the “foundational formalisation tool” critical for creating a verifiable national database, simplifying compliance, and enabling traceability.
“The future of our sector actually lies in responsible sourcing,” Rushwaya stated, linking the Gold Card directly to global ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) demands. She explained that a traceable, digital chain of custody from mine to refinery is the essential “ticket to the formal global market,” promising access to premium, ethical buyers.
Institutional Development and Strategic Partnerships
Rushwaya emphasised building ZMF into a “professional, data-driven and financially sustainable institution.” This involves enhancing internal capacity, staff training, and clear governance structures to better serve members. A key focus is forging strategic alliances with government ministries, private investors such as the Al Sharif Group, and development partners to leverage capital and expertise.
“We are moving beyond volume to efficiency and value,” she said, outlining plans to boost output through better recovery rates, aggregation models, and the introduction of appropriate technology. This includes establishing ZMF-supervised gold centres for bulk purchasing, certified weighing, and direct sales to formal channels such as Fidelity Printers and Refiners.
Inclusion and Empowerment
The strategy explicitly prioritises inclusion, with dedicated programmes for women, youth, people with disabilities, and the underprivileged. This includes tailored support for childcare at mining sites and initiatives to empower these groups as mine owners, managers, and service providers.
Furthermore, the plan involves sector-wide empowerment through facilitated access to affordable financing and leasing models for machinery, coupled with mandatory certification programmes in modern mining techniques, safety, and business skills.
A Call to Action for Provincial Leaders
President Rushwaya tasked provincial executives with mobilising grassroots campaigns to register every miner onto the Gold Card system. She instructed them to leave the meeting with clear, measurable quarterly targets for registration, card issuance, and production volumes, ensuring accountability in the roadmap’s implementation.
The speech framed a stable and growing ASM sector as “non-negotiable for national macroeconomic stability,” noting that it produces 60–70% of the nation’s gold. By formalising this dominant force, Rushwaya’s blueprint seeks not only to empower individual miners but also to directly bolster Zimbabwe’s foreign currency earnings, support the local currency, and fuel broader economic transformation.
