By Loice Takarindwa (Masvingo)
Residents and traditional leadership in the Charumbira community have strongly refuted claims circulating across social media platforms and mainstream media outlets concerning the operations of Bondolfi Mine. Local community members have stepped forward to debunk narratives suggesting an unlawful takeover, characterizing the reports as baseless falsehoods driven by outside interests.
Contrary to claims that Chief Charumbira improperly seized the gold mine, local beneficiaries emphasize that the traditional leader acted to secure community employment and protect local wealth.
Darlington Zvavashe, a local beneficiary, dismissed the negative press as misinformation rooted in envy over the area’s natural resources. “All those bad news and publicity are all lies,” Zvavashe stated. “People are jealous simply because gold has been detected in the Charumbira area. All of us are benefiting from this mine, and I am one of the beneficiaries.”
Residents further highlighted that Chief Charumbira’s leadership prevented external entities from taking control of the land’s mineral wealth. Tapelo Muringiri noted that the mine has become a vital source of livelihood for locals. “We are happy that Chief Charumbira incorporated all of us to benefit from this mine,” Muringiri said. “Everyone is benefiting, and this is now our employment where we work. We are working in harmony with Chief Charumbira; he is a great leader. Some outsiders wanted to forcefully grab the mine, but through Chief Charumbira, we were able to chase them away.”
Addressing allegations regarding the mine’s ownership structure, a local resident known as Vamuto explained that traditional leaders naturally serve as guardians of local land rights. “We are hearing people saying Chief Charumbira took over a mine. For me, he is the Chief, which translates to the owner of the Charumbira area,” Vamuto stated. “So it makes sense for him to register a mine. This mine is now benefiting us, the local people who are the custodians of this land. Every village head and his subjects are benefiting.”
Community leaders have also underscored the structured approach taken to ensure equitable resource sharing. Headman Mapfumo Chirove confirmed that traditional leaders met with Chief Charumbira to organize transparent operations. “All headmen had a meeting with Chief Charumbira to pave the way for transparency in terms of how everyone was to benefit,” Headman Chirove explained. “Every head was allocated shifts together with his people. The Chief was also clear that any person was set to benefit regardless of coming from elsewhere, but outsiders are to be incorporated through locals to avoid conflicts and chaos.”
Through structured shift allocations and community-first oversight, Charumbira residents maintain that the Bondolfi Mine remains a transparent initiative benefiting the entire community
