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Writes Clayton Masekesa
Irate villagers from diamond-rich Marange in Manicaland province have said the area could have simply become a world-class city if diamonds worth billions of dollars were not endlessly looted through well-orchestrated syndicates that involve top chefs and security agents.
In an interview recently, Daniel Chirasika from Marange Community Development Trust (MCDT) said: “It has become a sad reality that diamonds that we were supposed to benefit from, have been endlessly siphoned from us by those in power. So how can we trust them anymore?”
He added: “I am surprised that we are now losing more diamonds. Honestly, this area could have become a big city in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa but, unfortunately, Marange is one of the underdeveloped areas.”
Chirasika said long-suffering villagers in Marange have been so vocal about how they have not directly benefitted from diamonds and they say they have been highly prejudiced of genuine empowerment.
Farai Maguwu the Director of the Centre for Natural Resource and Governance (CNRG) said those within the corridors of power lack vision for development.
Said Maguwu: “Look at Johannesburg in South Africa. It started as a gold mining farm, but now, the gold is gone and the city is now a metropolis. So Marange villagers, therefore, are justified when they say Marange could have been a major city.”
He added: “But without such a vision, it is impossible for Marange to become a city. It seems like our vision as Zimbabweans is simply becoming multi-millionaires and spending that money on buying expensive cars and tourism in Dubai and other parts of the world.”
Maguwu said it was unfortunate that the looting of diamonds in Marange is continuous.
He said: “You can remember that in 2008 Gideon Gono (former Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe Governor) said Zimbabwe was losing about $2 billion annually and Robert Mugabe (Former Zimbabwe President) in 2015 said $15 billion dollars disappeared in Marange. So since 2006 up to now, the diamond looting is continuous. No one is accountable for those diamonds.”
James Mupfumi the Director of the Centre For Research and Development (CRD) said the government is determined with a centralized governance system that is meant to wipe out public goods for themselves whilst communities wallow in abject poverty.
Mupfumi said: “With the current system of governance, it is very impossible (to build Marange City) without devolution of power. Power over revenues and benefits from minerals remains centralized in government. There should be devolution of power so that such initiative of establishing a city in Marange becomes a reality.”
He added: “The recent attempt by a compromised ZCDC board with the approval of cabinet to force it to buy shares in an opaque Great Dyke platinum mining investments where USD$24 million had been charged by a bank for consultancy speaks volumes of the determination of a centralized governance system to wipe out public goods for themselves whilst communities wallow in abject poverty.”
Cosmas Sunguro, the president of the Zimbabwe Diamond Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU) said with proper management, Marange could have been developed into a city with skyscrapers.
Sunguro said: “Diamond is known as a multi-billion economy because of its value. With proper management of the funds, having skyscrapers in Marange won’t be a dream, but a reality. The rampant corruption and illicit financial flows have rendered this expectation a nullity.”
He added: “Our investment policy also exposes us to manipulation by investors such that we are left with almost nothing. So we just need to be serious in the way we are conducting our diamond business.”
Bocha Diamond Community Trust Director, Moses Mkwada, said the establishment of Marange City Has been overdue.
He said: “The establishment of a city on Marange has been overdue. Marange has the population and resources to make it a city, but that has not happened. Marange has all the market for a city. There can be proper road infrastructure, the building of schools, hospitals, government administration offices, banks, shopping malls, and business and residential stands among others. Marange has a big catchment area.”
He said: “At the moment, a lot of people are driving all the way to Mutare seeking the same services that could have been established in Marange. The area has the potential to create more business opportunities.“
The villagers argue that diamond operations in Marange were centered on the political benefits of influential people and not the local community despite obtrusive evidence of secret financial deals.