Masvingo, Zimbabwe — A storm of controversy has erupted over the eviction of more than 40 workers from the Shabanie-Mashava Mine (SMM) by Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), allegedly to prepare for a high-profile graduation ceremony next month, which will be attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The evictions come as a bitter irony for the displaced workers, given Mnangagwa’s historical involvement with SMM when he served as Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. The workers, some of whom have been residing in mine-owned houses for years without compensation, now face an uncertain future, the Masvingo Mirror reports.

GZU, which acquired the mine property in 2012, has claimed the evictions are part of routine property renovations, not preparations for the presidential visit. “We have been evicting since we purchased the property from the mine. Many claiming to be former employees were never employed by SMM,” said GZU spokesperson Anderson Chipatiso. He maintained that only a few genuine former employees remained, and the university needed the accommodation for staff and students.

However, former mine workers and local leaders dispute GZU’s narrative. “These evictions are unfair. The workers have never been paid their benefits since they were laid off in 2009, and now they are being forcefully removed without any compensation,” said Steven Togarepi Matongo, a former worker and representative of the Gaths Mine Chemberi Residents Association. “Riot police are evicting people and confiscating their belongings. Some residents have been arrested simply for trying to recover their possessions.”

Ward 3 Councillor Korowa Manyame confirmed that around 40 families have been evicted and are now stranded, their belongings scattered around Balmain shops. The affected families are now seeking legal recourse in Masvingo.

Adding to the tension, similar evictions have been reported in the Kingmine area, where former SMM workers have been displaced to make room for Chinese nationals involved in chrome mining operations. The situation underscores the precarious position of workers who have been left without compensation or a place to call home.

With just weeks to go until the graduation ceremony, the evictions have sparked outrage and raised questions about the government’s treatment of vulnerable communities. Attempts to reach Masvingo West Member of Parliament Ezra Ruvai Chadzamira for comment were unsuccessful, while local police have denied knowledge of the case.

As the controversy continues, all eyes are on President Mnangagwa, whose involvement in both the mine’s past and the upcoming event has put him at the center of yet another political storm.