Tinotenda Hove – The Action Democratic Movement (ADM) has accused the government of failing to control widespread environmental destruction driven by unregulated mining and what it described as Zimbabwe’s growing “hustle economy.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday titled “Address to the People of Zimbabwe on the Culture of Hustling and National Resource Destruction,” the opposition movement warned that the country’s natural wealth is being looted while ordinary citizens continue to wallow in poverty.

“Beneath our soil lies immense wealth—gold, lithium, diamonds, and countless other resources that many nations can only dream of,” ADM said.

“Yet today, we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of hustling—surviving from hand to mouth, while our national wealth is extracted and disappears before it benefits the people.”

The party questioned who is truly benefiting from Zimbabwe’s mineral resources, arguing that ordinary Zimbabweans are being excluded while the environment is left devastated.

“We must ask ourselves a difficult but necessary question: Who is truly benefiting from Zimbabwe’s minerals? Because it is not the ordinary citizen,” the statement read.
ADM said uncontrolled mining activities across the country are destroying land, contaminating rivers and threatening future generations.

“Across the country, mining is happening without order, without proper supervision, and without responsibility. Land is being torn apart. Rivers are being polluted. Our water sources are being poisoned with chemicals,” the movement said.

“Fertile soil that should feed generations is being destroyed in the name of quick survival. This is not development. This is destruction.”
The party warned that Zimbabwe risks suffering irreversible environmental damage if authorities fail to act urgently.

“We risk permanent environmental damage—land that will never produce food again,” ADM said.

“We risk water insecurity, where future generations will struggle to access clean drinking water. We risk health crises caused by toxic exposure from unsafe mining practices.”
ADM also argued that the country is drifting toward an unsustainable informal economy dominated by vending and survivalist activities instead of production and industrial growth.
“We risk building a weak, informal economy—a nation of hustlers instead of a nation of producers,” the statement read.

“No nation has ever built a strong economy on hustling alone. Vending is not industrialization. Survival is not prosperity.”

The movement called for stronger regulation of mining operations and urged government to formalise small-scale miners instead of allowing chaotic extraction of minerals.
“First, the government must enforce strict regulation and monitoring of all mining activities. No mining should take place without accountability, environmental protection, and community benefit,” ADM said.

“Second, we must formalize small-scale miners—give them proper training, legal frameworks, and access to safer methods so that survival does not come at the cost of destruction.”

ADM also pushed for value addition within Zimbabwe, saying the country must stop exporting raw minerals while citizens remain unemployed and poor.

“Zimbabwe must invest in value addition. Our minerals must be processed within our borders so that we create industries, jobs, and real economic growth,” the statement said.

The movement further called for environmental protection to become a national priority, warning that the country’s future depends on decisions made today.
“We cannot destroy tomorrow in order to survive today,” ADM said.

“Zimbabwe is rich—but its people must also become rich through systems that are fair, transparent, and sustainable. The future of our children depends on the decisions we make today.”