Hurungwe villagers have taken Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), and its Director-General to court to stop their imminent displacement from their ancestral land. The displacement is to make way for a Chinese-owned cement manufacturing plant.
The controversy began in July 2024 when Labenmon Investments began pegging and fencing off areas in Magunje, including grazing fields and farmland.
The villagers were never consulted about the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report or the issuance of the certificate.
With the help of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the villagers filed an appeal to withdraw and cancel the EIA certificate.1
They argue that the certificate was issued erroneously and is invalid. The case highlights concerns about displacement, environmental impact, and the rights of local communities.
“The Director-General of EMA violated the principles of natural justice as outlined in Section 136 of the Environmental Management Act by failing to consult the appellants, who are directly affected by the proposed cement manufacturing plant, and by denying them the opportunity to be heard.2
“Assuming that Labenmon Investments submitted an EIA Report, the Director-General of EMA acted unlawfully by issuing the EIA Certificate without consulting the appellants, relevant stakeholders, and community members, as required by Section 100(3)(c) of the Environmental Management Act.3
“Furthermore, the Director-General failed to ensure full stakeholder participation, as mandated by Section 10(5) of SI 7 of 2007, before approving the EIA Report and subsequently issuing the EIA Certificate,” said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), representing the villagers.
The villagers are requesting the High Court to direct Minister Nyoni to promptly address and resolve their appeal, which was filed on October 18, 2024, against the issuance of an EIA Certificate to Labenmon Investments, within 14 days of the court order being granted.
