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Fire hell in Hwange scars young victims for life

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BY FARAI SHAWN MATIASHE

PICTURES BY KB MPOFU

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Six year-old Lincoln Tomu ambles towards his mother, Gloria Tomu, who is seated on the verandah of their home in Hwange, a town in Matabeleland North province in northwestern Zimbabwe.

It is a stiflingly hot afternoon in February.

Just before reaching Tomu (46), Lincoln starts rubbing the itchy burn scars that are visible on his lower legs and feet.

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“This is what my son is going through. He is in trouble,” says Tomu, holding back her tears.

Her son was burnt in an underground coal seam fire in September 2021 while with his grandmother.

“They did not know that the ground was hot,” says Tomu.

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“He stepped into a crack in the road. He got trapped and burnt his legs.

“He was rescued by a Good Samaritan after his grandmother called for help.”

Lincoln, who was in preschool at the time of the incident, was seriously injured and ended up staying in Hwange Colliery Hospital, a public healthcare institution, for two months. He still struggles to walk properly.

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This part of Matabeleland North is home to the partly state-owned Hwange Colliery Company as well as seven other coal mining and coking companies.

It is the heart of the coal industry in Zimbabwe.

Clouds of black dust rise into the air each time a heavyweight truck loaded with coal rumbles into the premises of the colliery.

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According to the Worldometer website, Zimbabwe had 553 million tonnes of proven coal reserves in 2016.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government aim to have a US$1 billion coal mining industry as part of a US$12 billion mining economy by 2030.

They want to use coal to boost power generation and reduce the constant shortages of electricity that plague the country.

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The fire below

Underground coal seam fires have been causing damage and even death in Hwange since late last year throughout the concession area where the colliery operates.

They have been burning for years and cause the ground to be unstable, putting the lives of people, particularly children, and livestock at risk.

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Some of the areas have signs warning people of the dangers, but they are of little value if the areas are unfenced.

The Hwange Colliery Company has contracted mining consultants from the global DMT Group to investigate the cause of the underground fires in the town and surrounding areas.

A report is expected later in March.

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Most of these coal fires start with the ignition of exposed surface seams, but they can also occur in coal storage or waste piles.

The fires ignite through spontaneous combustion or natural or human activity, and they release toxic fumes.

Those who fall victim to the fires suffer a range of physical and psychological effects, according to a recent report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), a research and advocacy organisation based in Zimbabwe.

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It says some victims are traumatised by near-death experiences or left with permanent disabilities that ruin their lives.

“The children who fall victim to the coal seam fires suffer a range of physical and psychological effects, which include post-traumatic stress disorder,” the report states.

Tomu says she is worried about Lincoln, who was supposed to have been enrolled in the first grade of primary school but could not as he is always rubbing his wounds.

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“I feel for him. He is traumatised. He cannot put on shoes because of the pain,” she says.

Lives changed and lost

Another survivor from Hwange, Preside Sibanda (17), has stopped going to school because of his burn wounds.

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Sibanda was injured in 2020 at a decommissioned mine in Hwange that is now a college.

“I burnt both of my legs when I went to pick mangoes at the old mine.

“I am shy to go to school as fellow students laugh at me because I am always rubbing my itchy legs,” he says.

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“If I stand for a long time, I start to feel pain. I miss playing my favourite sport, football, with my friends.”

The coal fires claimed the life of eight year-old Alisha Sekina Musvite  in November.

She was swallowed waist-deep by a fire hole at an old dump site in Makwika village, where Tomu and Lincoln also live.

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She died just days after both her legs had been amputated.

“Children, by nature, love playing. They are curious, experimental and love adventures,” says Simiso Mlevu, a communications officer at the CNRG.

“Most of the children who have been burnt met their fate while playing with their peers.

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“Some of the coal fires are near schools.”

To prevent accidents, the villagers in Hwange have been calling on mining companies to detect underground fires, erect warning signs and fence off the affected areas to keep children out.

Tomu, whose husband works at one of the local mines, says the family reported Lincoln’s injuries to the Hwange Colliery Company and asked for help with his medical bills, but to no avail.

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“I used a family medical aid, but I bought some of the medicines required by the doctors myself.

“We reported the matter to the safety manager, but all seems to have fallen on deaf ears.”

Thobekile Shoko, a regional organiser for the National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe, says it’s hard to apportion blame for the fires on a single company.

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“Hwange as a whole is a coal mining place.

“Where we stay we are told the houses were built on top of the old mines and these fires just appear,” she says.

Shoko says awareness campaigns have been undertaken in schools, but more can be done to prevent accidents and help the victims of these fires.- New Frame

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National

Migration on the rise: Matabeleland North tops outbound movement in latest ZimLAC report

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINK

Matabeleland North has recorded some of the highest levels of migration in Zimbabwe, with 12.6% of households moving to urban areas and 7.8% leaving the country, according to the 2024–2025 Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) report.

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The figures highlight a growing trend in which families are uprooting in search of work, education, and better living conditions, with the province’s migration rate well above the national averages of 9.9% for rural-to-urban moves and 5.0% for emigration.

For many in Matabeleland North, economic necessity drives these decisions.

“I had to send my son to Bulawayo because there was simply no work here,” said Thabani Ncube, a smallholder farmer in Lupane. “Even piece jobs have dried up. At least in town, he can hustle and maybe support the family.”

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The ZimLAC report shows that employment opportunities are the leading reason behind rural-to-urban migration nationally (6.3%). In Matabeleland North, 7.7% cited education as the next big pull factor, followed by new residential land and improved living standards.

Experts warn that while migration can bring relief through remittances, it also risks hollowing out rural communities.

“This trend is a double-edged sword,” explained Dr. Nomalanga Sibanda, a livelihoods researcher in Bulawayo. “Families may benefit from remittances, but local economies lose critical labour and skills. Over time, this weakens resilience in rural districts.”

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Other Provinces: Contrasting Patterns

Matabeleland South recorded the highest rate of emigration, with 13.5% of households reporting that members had left the country — nearly triple the national average. Masvingo followed closely, with 16.5% moving to towns and 7.7% leaving for the diaspora.

Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central had the lowest levels of outward movement, with just 4.4% moving to towns and 1.0% emigrating.

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Midlands also stood out, with 12.9% shifting to urban areas and 6.2% relocating abroad, driven mainly by job opportunities and schooling.

National Picture

Across Zimbabwe, nearly one in ten households (9.9%) reported rural-to-urban migration, while 5% indicated emigration outside the country. Employment, education, and improved living standards remain the strongest motivators.

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For ordinary families, the story is about survival and hope.

“My husband left for South Africa last year,” said Memory Dube of Gwanda, Matabeleland South. “He sends money when he can, but life is tough there too. Still, we rely on that income to buy food and pay school fees.”

ZimLAC, which advises the government through the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC), says the data will guide evidence-based interventions. The report stresses that migration trends are not just statistics, but reflect deeper issues of economic opportunity, resilience, and service delivery across provinces.

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Matabeleland North tops in open defecation as sanitation gaps persist

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The latest 2025 Rural Livelihoods Assessment by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) has revealed that Matabeleland North province has the highest proportion of households practising open defecation in the country, underscoring deep-rooted poverty and infrastructure challenges in rural communities.

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According to the report, Binga district leads with a staggering 80.1% of households without toilets, followed by Tsholotsho at 56.5%. Kariba (50.8%) and Mwenezi (49.4%) also recorded alarming levels of open defecation.

Nationally, there has been modest progress. The proportion of households with basic sanitation services increased slightly from 51% in 2020 to 55% in 2025. At the same time, open defecation declined from 29% in 2020 to 24% in 2025.

While these statistics point to progress at a national level, the reality in provinces like Matabeleland North paints a starkly different picture. Communities continue to struggle with extreme poverty, limited resources, and inadequate support to build or maintain proper sanitation facilities.

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ZimLAC noted that the findings are critical for shaping livelihoods policies and targeting interventions where they are most needed. The report emphasized that tackling inequalities in rural sanitation remains central to advancing Zimbabwe’s development goals.

Community Voices: Life Without Toilets in Matabeleland North

In Binga, where most households lack toilets, villagers say poverty is at the heart of the crisis:

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“We want toilets, but we cannot afford cement or bricks,” said 64-year-old grandmother from Sidinda. “Even when NGOs come, they only build for a few households. The rest of us dig shallow pits which collapse in the rains. That’s why many people just go to the bush.”

In Tsholotsho, young people express frustration over promises that never materialize:

“We were told about sanitation projects, but they stopped halfway. People survive by selling firewood; where will they get money for toilets?” asked Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, a 22-year-old.

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For families living along the Zambezi in Binga, land conditions add another challenge:

“The soil is sandy and unstable. Even if we dig, the pit does not last long. Poverty makes it worse, because we cannot reinforce the toilets like people in towns,”another villager explained.

In Nkayi, the harsh climate compounds the problem:

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“We focus on finding food and water first. A toilet is a luxury for many families here,” said Joseph Moyo, a farmer battling drought conditions.

Despite the struggles, communities across Matabeleland North expressed a strong desire for better sanitation, linking the lack of toilets to health risks, dignity, and children’s wellbeing.

As ZimLAC’s findings show, progress is possible — but without targeted support in the hardest-hit areas, open defecation will remain entrenched in Zimbabwe’s rural poverty landscape.

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Zimbabwe selected for groundbreaking HIV prevention initiative

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BY STAFF REPORTER 

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe has announced an exciting development in the fight against HIV: Zimbabwe has been selected as one of the ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a breakthrough in HIV prevention.

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“Yes Zimbabwe, it’s happening!” the embassy declared, highlighting the significance of this initiative.

“For decades, we’ve fought to turn the tide against this epidemic, and each day we get closer,” the statement continued. This new treatment represents a pivotal moment in HIV prevention efforts, as it is the first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine.

The implementation of lenacapavir is made possible through a partnership with U.S.-based Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund. A key finding from a large-scale clinical trial shows that more than 99% of people on lenacapavir remained HIV negative. While this has the potential to save millions of lives, the Embassy emphasized that for Zimbabwe, it represents a major step toward ending new infections.

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“But this is more than medicine—it advances us on a pathway to a safer, stronger, and healthier future!” noted the embassy’s announcement.

The initiative particularly focuses on pregnant and breastfeeding women, aiming to protect the next generation. It will also work toward strengthening healthcare systems, empowering Zimbabwe to lead its own fight against HIV. Moreover, the goal of making lenacapavir more affordable and accessible ensures that no one is left behind.

The embassy highlighted, “This is American leadership at its best: driving innovation, and building a world where children, mothers, and communities can thrive.”

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As this initiative rolls out, the message is clear: “Together, we’re not just fighting HIV—we’re winning.”

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