Zimbabwe Bans Alluvial Mining Including River Rehabilitation: What The Government Directive Means

Zimbabwe Government Directive Explained: The River Mining Ban

A new government directive has brought all mining in Zimbabwe’s rivers to a complete stop. Here’s a plain-language explainer of what the order says, what it means for communities and miners, and what is likely to happen next.

What has actually been banned?

The directive, issued on 5 January 2026, suspends two specific activities across every province in Zimbabwe:

Alluvial Mining: This is the process of extracting minerals like gold and diamonds directly from riverbeds, sand, and gravel. It often uses pumps and dredgers in the water.
River Rehabilitation: This refers to projects that claim to be cleaning up or restoring rivers. The government states that this has been used as a cover for illegal mining operations.

The document is a formal reminder from a high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee, sent to all relevant ministers and security chiefs, that a previous Cabinet decision is still in force. It states:

“alluvial mining and the river ecosystems rehabilitation programme remains suspended until further notice.”

Can anyone still operate legally?

Only one single operation in the entire country has approval to continue, and its scope is extremely narrow.

Who: Prevail Group of Companies.
Where: Muroodzi River only.
Which Province: Mashonaland Central.
Why: Their project is officially labelled a “prototype,” meaning it is a test case, not a commercial mining licence.

The directive is explicit that this is not a green light for wider activity:

“The only company that has been given the greenlight to undertake river rehabilitation, as a prototype, is Prevail Group of Companies, at Muroodzi River in Mashonaland Central Province. As such, the company should not be given a mandate for further river rehabilitation outside this Muroodzi River-approved prototype.”

What if I have a permit from my local council or provincial minister?

It is no longer valid. The directive has centralised all authority. Only the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife can issue a rehabilitation permit. Any permit, letter, or agreement signed by a provincial minister, council official, or traditional leader for this type of work is now considered void. The order also instructs that “no company should be awarded a contract” by provinces.

What are the consequences for breaking this ban?

The government has formally ordered the security forces to step in. The directive specifically alerts the National Joint Operations Command (JOC)—which includes the army, police, and intelligence services—to what it calls “purported illegal activities.”

It names three provinces as particular hotspots:

“especially in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland Provinces.”

The security cluster is told:

“to expeditiously stop such activities.”

This means joint police and army operations to seize equipment and make arrests are not just possible—they have been formally requested.

What about the environmental damage already done to rivers?

The directive confirms a new law is being prepared to address this. A Statutory Instrument is being drafted to enforce the “Polluter Pays Principle.” Once passed, this law will force those who damaged the rivers to pay for the full cost of cleanup and restoration. This future law is separate from the current ban, which is about stopping all activity immediately.

What should miners and communities do right now?

Stop all activity immediately: Any dredging or mining in rivers must cease.
Do not start new “rehab” projects: Any new project claiming to clean rivers will be treated as illegal mining.
Expect enforcement: Security operations can happen at any time, particularly in the three named provinces.

What is the government’s goal with this total ban?

Analysts see this as a drastic “reset” button. The aims appear to be:

To stop immediate, severe damage to the country’s vital river systems and water supplies.
To clear up confusion and alleged corruption around illegal permits issued at local levels.
To create a strict, centralised legal system (via the upcoming Polluter Pays law) before any future mining or genuine rehabilitation can be considered.

The bottom line: Unless you are part of the strictly controlled Prevail Group prototype at Muroodzi River, any machinery or mining activity in Zimbabwe’s waterways is now illegal. The security forces have been directly instructed to shut it down. This is a nationwide halt with immediate effect.