By A Correspondent – Communities in Chinyamukwakwa, Chipinge South Constituency, are grappling with a severe environmental disaster following toxic effluent discharges linked to Green Fuel Private Limited.

What began as the launch of ethanol production on 21 April 2026, under Chief Garahwa, has escalated into a public health, environmental, and livelihood crisis affecting thousands of residents.

Instead of delivering development benefits, Green Fuel’s operations released toxic effluent into the Musvazvi River, a critical water source for surrounding communities. By 23 April 2026, the situation had deteriorated significantly, leaving families devastated, ecosystems damaged, and livelihoods destroyed.

The contamination of the Musvazvi River has wiped out irrigation plots, most of which are owned and managed by women farmers. Winter cash crops have been destroyed, and at least 200 stream water users have suffered substantial losses. Livestock, including cattle, goats, and pigs, have died after consuming contaminated water, depriving households of essential sources of income, food, and draught power. Aquatic life in Ward 30, including fish and frogs, has been decimated, signalling a collapse of the local ecosystem and the loss of an important food source.

The disaster has a pronounced gendered impact. Women and girls, who are primarily responsible for household water collection and use, face heightened exposure to contaminated water. Their livelihoods, already undermined by land dispossession, are now further threatened. More than 3,000 women farmers were previously displaced by Green Fuel’s ethanol project without compensation. The current crisis compounds this injustice, creating a double burden that erodes both economic security and social dignity.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution guarantees citizens the right to a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Green Fuel’s actions stand in direct violation of this constitutional protection, exposing communities to unsafe conditions and stripping them of their livelihoods and dignity. Farmers describe the situation as catastrophic, with families simultaneously losing food, income, and productive assets. Women leaders in Chinyamukwakwa warn that the crisis is deepening poverty, weakening community resilience, and entrenching long-term vulnerability.

In response, the Climate Action Coalition of Zimbabwe, civil society organisations, and community trusts are calling for urgent accountability. They demand an immediate halt to effluent discharges, full compensation for displaced and affected farmers, restoration of contaminated water sources and irrigation infrastructure, and the strict enforcement of environmental protections mandated by law.

The events of 23 April 2026 mark a critical turning point for Chipinge South. What was presented as an ethanol production milestone has instead become a stark symbol of environmental injustice, gendered harm, and corporate impunity. Affected communities are demanding justice, and their call must not be ignored.

Green Fuel is yet to comment on the matter.Efforts to obtain an official comment from the company were futile .