The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet responsible for devolution and decentralisation, Tafadzwa Muguti, has criticised the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) for issuing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate to Labenmon Investments without verifying the company’s legal ownership of the land earmarked for a cement project in Magunje, Hurungwe, Mashonaland West.
Muguti described the move as a breach of both environmental regulations and investment protocols.
Traditional leaders and local authorities have raised concerns over how the project was approved on communal land without proper consultation or legal processes.
The proposed cement plant had been touted as a major industrial development expected to boost the local economy.
However, Muguti, speaking during a high-level engagement meeting in the province, warned that while the Government welcomes investment, it will not allow laws to be ignored in the name of development.
He revealed that the investor had not obtained a licence from the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), nor had they engaged the local Rural District Council (RDC).
To make matters worse, Muguti said the investor’s physical address was unknown. Said Muguti:
EMA, I don’t know what kind of kickback you received, but it is highly improper to grant an EIA to someone who has no legitimate claim to the land. That EIA should never have been issued.
This dam is used by villagers, the army and Magunje residents. No investor should be allowed to poison it because of shortcuts. After following the proper channels, EMA should have laid out clear conditions, not issue approvals blindly…
No one is above the law. Even the President pays taxes to his local authority. Why should an anonymous investor operate tax-free and outside Government control?
After meeting with Minister Chombo and the ZANU PF provincial leadership, Muguti said the issue was now being handed back to the provincial leaders to decide whether the project should go ahead, but only if it complies with legal frameworks. Said Muguti:
I told Minister Chombo and the provincial chairperson, if the province wants the project, it must be done properly. Let’s reach consensus. But if there is crime involved, we arrest, because that’s what the Office of the President and Cabinet does under its mandate.
Development is our national agenda, but it must be lawful and transparent. This issue must now be openly discussed and resolved. The people of Hurungwe are the rightful stakeholders, ndimi vene vacho.
Last month, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) warned that the US$1 billion cement and mining project is fuelling human rights violations, environmental degradation, and forced displacements.
On 02 July 2025, the watchdog implored the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to immediately intervene and suspend Labenmon Investments’ operations.
While touted as a flagship investment that could create 5,000 jobs and spur local development, CNRG warned that the project is trampling on the rights of local communities.
The organisation revealed disturbing findings from its visit to the area, including unlawful land takeovers, desecration of ancestral graves, and intimidation of villagers and civil society actors.
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