By A Correspondent – The efforts of the Youth Peace Ambassadors from the Youth Empowerment and Skills Development Association, along with community enumerators from the Masvingo Women’s Rights Advocacy Group, have led to serious security threats amid their investigation into rights violations by Bikita Minerals Mining Company.

In September 2025, five activists, including enumerators and journalists, faced harassment from mine security officers who accused them of trespassing while collecting data and filming a documentary on environmental rights violations by the Chinese mining company. The officers later profiled all the group members, taking their Identity Card information and other personal details before releasing them.

In another incident, the group was intercepted by two vehicles, one for the mine company and an unmarked vehicle, as they left Chenhamo Business Centre. The members were reportedly harassed and intimidated for facilitating Focus Group Discussions, conducting interviews, and site research investigating the mining-related environmental challenges in the area. Their cell phones and Camera Equipment (Canon Mirrorless Camera, SD-Cards, and Stabilizers) were confiscated and returned after several minutes, with their important research data and footage deleted, and some gadgets vandalized.

The members expressed serious security concerns since then as they receive anonymous calls threatening them and their families, and some members are experiencing surveillance as unmarked vehicles trail them on several occasions. “We are now at a serious risk, both physically and digitally. We receive numerous threats on calls and increased cases of surveillance. We are also worried that our digital gadgets might have been hacked, and we are being monitored online,” one member stated.

The youth peace ambassadors have previously uncovered shocking human rights abuses linked to Bikita Minerals, including water shortages, contamination, forced evictions, and environmental pollution—issues that the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has also documented in their recent report.