Zimbabwe’s young mining professionals and entrepreneurs are calling for direct representation on the proposed Mining Affairs Board under the Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025. With the country’s demographic dominated by youth and their growing footprint across all levels of the mining value chain, youth organisations say their contribution must now be reflected in national mining governance structures, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The newly proposed Board structure includes members from key government ministries, the Chamber of Mines, small-scale mining, the Environmental Management Agency, and other industry players. However, no explicit seat is reserved for youth or young professionals, despite their increasing role in shaping the sector’s future.
Young Miners Foundation (YMF) Chief Executive Officer Payne Farai Kupfuwa said that although the inclusion of small-scale miners on the Board is a progressive step, there is a critical need for a dedicated youth representative.
“As the Young Miners family, our humble submission is that, given that youths constitute over 65% of Zimbabwe’s demographic structure and dominate the small-scale mining sector with over 80% participation, it is imperative that their interests are represented on the Mining Affairs Board,” Kupfuwa said.
He added that youth representation would not only enrich the Board’s decision-making with fresh perspectives, but would also formalise the voice of a majority group that is often excluded from policymaking.
“While a representative for small-scale mining is a step in the right direction, a dedicated youth representative would provide a crucial perspective, ensuring that our concerns and ideas are integrated into the decision-making process. This would enable us to move from the periphery to the centre of policy formulation and implementation, fostering more inclusive and youth-friendly mining policies,” he said.
Also weighing in, Hazel Tsungai Karoro, Secretary General of the Association of Junior Mining Professionals of Zimbabwe (AJMPZ), said it is vital to recognise that youth in mining are not limited to artisanal activities, but are engaged in all stages of the mining value chain, including prospecting, exploration, extraction, processing, and high-tech value addition.
“Our association isn’t just focused on ASM. We’re involved in building the full mining value chain—from finding the minerals in the ground, to extracting them efficiently, processing them responsibly, and finally adding value through innovation. Some of our members are already working on future-focused projects like electric vehicle components and battery minerals,” Karoro said.
She stressed that the contribution of young geologists, engineers, metallurgists, surveyors, and processing experts is indispensable to Zimbabwe’s ambition to grow a US$40 billion mining sector that aligns with global energy and technology trends.
“Innovation in mining is being driven by young professionals. If the Mining Affairs Board is to shape the future of the sector, it must include the voices of those who are the future,” Karoro added.
She further emphasised the importance of gender inclusion in youth representation, calling for the appointment of representatives who understand the challenges faced by young women in the sector, and who can advocate for gender-responsive policy development.
“Representation must be intersectional. Young women are participating across mining professions and must not be excluded from the leadership table. The Board must reflect not only age diversity but also gender equity,” she said.
Both YMF and AJMPZ agree that youth inclusion on the Mining Affairs Board should not be symbolic or tokenistic, but instead grounded in practical engagement that allows young stakeholders to influence policy, regulation, and strategic direction.
With the mining sector poised to drive Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and energy transition, youth advocates believe that representation on the Mining Affairs Board would position young people as co-architects of the country’s mining future, rather than mere participants.
“Youths have the energy, the ideas, and the innovation. What we ask for now is the platform,” said Karoro.
As the Mines and Minerals Bill continues through public consultation and review, the call for a youth seat on the Mining Affairs Board presents lawmakers with an opportunity to bridge the generational gap in mining governance—and ensure that the future of Zimbabwe’s minerals is also the future of its young people.
