Zimbabwe's presidential spokesperson basically called his home villagers stupid for daring to petition Parliament about a lithium mine, and the backlash has been swift. George Charamba allegedly threatened members of the Buhera Residents Network Trust after they flagged health and environmental damage tied to Sabi Star Lithium Mine operations in Buhera.
The petition claims over 100 heavy trucks kicking up dust on unpaved roads daily have triggered respiratory and gastric issues among villagers while killing off goats and cattle. Charamba reportedly brushed the whole thing off as foolish, argued residents should be cozying up to the mine for economic benefit, and expressed embarrassment that locals from his district dragged the issue to Parliament.
A coalition of civil society groups, CNRG, ZIDWU, CPRDA, and Zivai Community Empowerment Trust, demanded a full probe into the intimidation claims. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee has already held two community hearings where residents got to air their grievances directly, which is exactly the kind of oversight Charamba's rhetoric seems designed to chill.
The petition claims over 100 heavy trucks kicking up dust on unpaved roads daily have triggered respiratory and gastric issues among villagers while killing off goats and cattle. Charamba reportedly brushed the whole thing off as foolish, argued residents should be cozying up to the mine for economic benefit, and expressed embarrassment that locals from his district dragged the issue to Parliament.
A coalition of civil society groups, CNRG, ZIDWU, CPRDA, and Zivai Community Empowerment Trust, demanded a full probe into the intimidation claims. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee has already held two community hearings where residents got to air their grievances directly, which is exactly the kind of oversight Charamba's rhetoric seems designed to chill.
