95% Of Rhodesian-Era Landmines Cleared, Says Zimbabwe National Army

The government has allocated US$2 million this year to speed up the final stage of demining Speaking at the 2025 Defence Day celebrations on 12 August, ZNA Commander Engineers Colonel Simbarashe Zhou explained that most of the minefields were inherited when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 He said: “In 1980, we inherited landmines which were laid by the Rhodesian Forces along our borders “From the Victoria Falls down to Mulibizi, which was 220 kilometers “We also had landmines stretching from Chidodo in Mt Darwin, up to Wenya River “We also had minefields in Chipinge, Chiredzi South, and the Sango Border Post Those were the areas that were mined.” Explosives were planted not only along borders but also inland in protected areas like Lusulu and Kariba South Power Station Colonel Zhou said 95% of the minefields have been cleared, with 5% remaining in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East ZNA teams are working with partners like Hallow Trust in Rushinga and Norwegian People’s Aid in Muzarabani The Mine Advisory Group helps with demining, and the National Mine Clearing Squadron is focused on the Sango Border Post Despite progress, funding remains a challenge This year, the government allocated US$2 million for the work, but it is not enough to cover equipment, training, and transport Colonel Zhou called for more support to buy modern equipment and improve operations He urged communities to report any unexploded bombs, warning that curious children might handle these dangerous items People should notify the nearest police or army station to prevent accidents, said Colonel Zhou Originally published on The Zimbabwean All Zim News is a central hub for all things Zimbabwean, curating news from across the country so no story is missed Alongside aggregation, our team of nationwide reporters provides real-time, on-the-ground coverage Stay informed and connected — reach us at admin@allzimnews.com . Source: Thezimbabwean