A demo homestead for the families that are set for relocation

By Trymore Tagwirei

Some 52 graves are set to be exhumed and 104 families relocated from Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa to make way for a US$300 million lithium processing plant.

The exhumation and relocation are expected to clear the way for land preparation and construction of the processing plant, which is slated to begin before the end of September.

Mutapa Energy Resources, the mining and energy arm of the state-owned Mutapa Investment Fund, was expected to start the grave exhumation process around the beginning of September, subject to the completion of outstanding burial orders.

Mutapa Energy Resources CEO Innocent Rukweza said land clearing would begin once the exhumation process was completed.

“Once we complete the exhumation and relocation, I think land clearing will begin,” Rukweza said.

The company has already constructed seven demonstration houses for families affected by the relocation, with the houses receiving approval from traditional leaders and government stakeholders.

The remaining houses are expected to be completed by the end of September, after which the company plans to relocate all 104 families.

“We are targeting September 20 to about the end of September to finalise all the 104 houses. Thereupon we will relocate all the families that are involved,” Rukweza said.

Each affected family will receive a four-roomed house, kitchen, and ablution facilities at an estimated cost of US$28,000 per household.

The company will also fence the new settlements and provide water infrastructure.

The planned lithium processing plant is expected to boost local mineral processing as Zimbabwe seeks to capture greater value from its mineral resources. Commissioning of the lithium concentrator is targeted for November 2027.

Mberengwa West MP Tafanana Zhou said the development was a new chapter for Mberengwa and had brought positive changes to the local community.

“We are witnessing positive developments in our community. We are seeing state-of-the-art houses being built by the mine for the families that are being relocated, while the road is also being constructed by reputable companies for the benefit of the community. We appreciate the work being done by the mine,” Zhou said.

However, the latest developments come after years of complaints over dust pollution, open pits, damaged roads, and environmental degradation associated with mining activities since formal lithium mining began at Sandawana in 2023.