Brenna Matendere
Harare—Deputy Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister, Norbert Mazungunye, has come under pressure in parliament to explain why a Chinese company in Chegutu continues to defy a High Court order halting cement production near Bryden Country School near the farming town.
Mashonaland West province proportional representation member of parliament, Mutsa Murombedzi, demanded that the minister outlines steps to ensure Shuntai Holdings, which runs a cement factory less than 500 metres from the school, complies with the law.
The lawmaker also questioned what mechanisms exist to protect communities from repeatedly returning to court to enforce existing judgments.
The dispute dates back to February 2025, when Shuntai notified Bryden of plans to build a cement and lime plant at Plot 8, Eastbourne, Chegutu.
On 25 March 2025, the High Court issued a provisional order stopping all construction and quarrying until Shuntai secured an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate, as required under the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27].
Construction has continued despite the court order.
Following a site inspection in July 2025, the court found Shuntai in contempt and, in August 2025, Justice Samuel Deme fined the company US$10,000 for violating the injunction.
The firm has since appealed the ruling while operations reportedly persist, prompting renewed outrage.
Bryden has also taken the matter to the Administrative Court, citing the minister of Environment as a respondent, after the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) controversially issued the EIA certificate in April 2025 despite the court ban.
In parliament this week, Mazungunye said his ministry could not intervene, arguing that the matter was already before the courts.
“The Environmental Management Act provides remedies. It is up to the applicant to ensure the court order is enforced through civil procedure,” he said.
Murombedzi pressed further, accusing the ministry of failing to direct law enforcement agencies to act on existing judgments.
“Why has the ministry not issued binding directives to the police or local authorities to uphold court orders, especially in a case like Chegutu where children’s health is at risk?” she asked.
Mazungunye pushed the buck to the Sheriff of the High Court and insisted that the school could pursue further legal remedies.
However, Bryden’s legal representatives at Scanlen and Holderness told NewsHub they had exhausted all judicial channels.
“We have now approached the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, seeking recourse. Meetings have been held, but Shuntai continues operating,” said lawyer Innocent Nderere.
