Graves of Contention: Chinese Miner Defends Buhera Exhumations Amid Local Outcry

A Chinese mining company in Buhera has defended exhuming and reburying 22 graves at its Sabi Star lithium site

A Chinese mining company operating in Buhera, Max Mind Investments, has defended the exhumation and reburial of 22 graves from its Sabi Star lithium project site, saying the process was carried out “lawfully, respectfully, and under district supervision.” The company’s statement follows widespread outrage on social media after activist Farai Maguwu alleged that ancestral graves were desecrated to make way for mine expansion.

In a written response, Max Mind said the exhumations were conducted with the participation of family representatives, traditional leaders, and Buhera District authorities. It added that all remains were reinterred “with love and care” at a designated cemetery. “These were laid to rest with love and care, but the social media post caused alarm and misrepresentation,” the company stated, noting that all families received relocation allowances and that cultural rites were observed.

District officials confirmed that the local health department, police, and traditional leadership attended the exhumations, which took place between August and September 2025. Buhera District Development Coordinator Washington Madzinga said the process was “documented and supervised” but acknowledged that the episode had “reopened community concerns over consultation and compensation in the fast-growing lithium corridor.”

Community members around Mukwasi and Sabi villages said the issue reflected broader unease about the pace and manner of mineral development in rural Manicaland. “People were not properly informed; the spirit of the ancestors should have been appeased,” said one villager, speaking on condition of anonymity. Civil society advocates have since called for stronger environmental and social impact oversight, citing growing tension between investors and communities in areas hosting lithium and granite projects.

Mining analysts note that Zimbabwe’s lithium rush, driven by global demand for electric vehicle batteries, has drawn dozens of new operators—some facing criticism over poor labour, environmental, and cultural-heritage standards.

Experts from the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) say the Buhera controversy underscores the need for a clear national framework on cultural-heritage protection in mining zones. “Corporate social responsibility is not just about building schools; it’s about respecting the dead and the living,” ZELA director Mutuso Dhliwayo told Southerton Business Times.

“These were laid to rest with love and care, but the social media post caused alarm,” the company reiterated in its statement.