By A Correspondent – In late December 2025, the Chipinge Residents and Ratepayers Trust (CRRT) found itself under siege as threats and intimidation against its leadership escalated.

All four employees, including Team Leader Allanviny Murozvi, received menacing phone calls warning of physical harm, arbitrary arrests, and even surveillance and phone hacking.

These threats emerged just as CRRT intensified its opposition to forced evictions in Mutandahwe and other parts of Chipinge District, evictions widely linked to mining developments. For years, the Trust has stood firm against exploitative practices, challenging companies that operate without consultation or accountability.

Murozvi, speaking with resolve despite the risks, declared: “No amount of intimidation will deter our mission to promote transparency, accountability, and justice for all residents of Chipinge District.” His words reflect the resilience of an organisation that continues to defend ordinary citizens amid growing pressure.

Chipinge’s struggles are not new. The district has long been a battleground over land and resources, with residents caught between promises of development and the realities of displacement. December brought reports of unregulated extraction of zinc, copper, and scheelite—a tungsten-bearing mineral—by companies whose ownership structures remain opaque.

Community monitors warn of corruption, environmental degradation, water contamination, and unsafe working conditions. For families already living on the margins, the prospect of losing land to unchecked mining is devastating.

“The company has not formally introduced itself to the community…The entire process lacks transparency and accountability,” Murozvi noted, underscoring the absence of meaningful engagement.

Faced with escalating threats, CRRT has appealed to the Zimbabwe Republic Police for protection, stressing that its advocacy is non-partisan and rooted in justice. Yet the risks are real. Human rights defenders across Zimbabwe often face reprisals for challenging powerful interests, and CRRT’s leadership now joins that vulnerable list.

Despite intimidation, the Trust presses on—organising awareness campaigns, pursuing legal remedies, and documenting abuses for national and international audiences. Their work is not only about defending land; it is about safeguarding dignity, ensuring that women and marginalised groups are not silenced, and building a culture of transparency in local governance.

As December closes, Chipinge’s future hangs in the balance. CRRT’s leaders face intimidation, yet their voices remain firm. Communities confront displacement, yet they demand justice. And while mining companies expand their reach, the struggle for accountability grows louder.