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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe has elected new leadership to lead the organisation until next year amid calls for all mining stakeholders to embrace inclusiveness for the industry to realise the US$12 billion target by 2023.

Mimosa Mines executive, Ms Elizabeth Nerwande, becomes the immediate past president of the Chamber of Mines and the new president for 2021 to 2022 is Mr Colin Chibafa of Anglo American’s Unki Mine.

Mr Colin Chibafa

Announcing the new office bearers during an official opening ceremony for the annual occasion where President Mnangagwa was guest last Friday, Chamber of Mines chief executive, Mr Isaac Kwesu, said Mr Chibafa will be deputised by Mr Thomas Gono of Golden Reef and Mr John Musekiwa from Zimasco.

He said the Chamber of Mines council also elected Mines and Mining Industry Minister, Winston Chitando, as an honorary vice president with Permanent Secretary, Mr Onesimo Moyo, being elected honorary member in line with chamber constitution, which provides for honorary members to be elected every year.

In a brief interview afterwards, Mr Chibafa said he would carry over from where his predecessor left to champion the aspirations of the industry.

“The goal is simple to drive the industry to attainment of the targets. Everyone is driving towards US$12 billion industry by 2023 and this is dependent on every stakeholder playing a role,” he said.

Speaking earlier, outgoing president Ms Nerwande said the past year had been a tumultuous one for the mining industry, characterised by falling minerals prices as a result of Covid-19 effects among other challenges.

Ms Elizabeth Nerwande

She, however, paid gratitude to policy frameworks by the Second Republic, which he said will stir the industry to a 11 percent growth from a decline of about 4,7 percent last year.

“The past year has been challenging as we had a decline of about 4,7 percent because of the pandemic and other challenges. Most of minerals recorded decline but we are anticipating a mining sector rebound and growth by 11 percent as we drive towards attaining our annual targets,” said Ms Nerwande.

She said the country, particularly the mining sector, should draw lessons from the past year. Ms Nerwande said the conference, which was held under the theme: “Navigating turbulent times-sustaining growth of the mining industry beyond Covid-19”, was an opportunity to discuss matters that allow the mining industry to rise over turbulent times and sustain growth way into the future.

“To do so we need each other. Every stakeholder has a role to play as we try to score goals for team mining Zimbabwe. While some are strikers, others are defenders and goalkeepers, and even those on the terraces are critical as was evident in 2021 Covid-19 period,” she said with reference to the support rendered especially by Government to the mining industry during the global pandemic era.

The Chamber of Mines had started proffering options for leveraging on available resources and works in harmony with the Government where significant strides have been made in terms of ease of doing business through policy pronouncements that make the environment stable and competitive. — @ncubeleon