By Kovedzayi Takawira
Harare – A Chinese national has been arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a Zimbabwean worker at China Zhuhe Mining’s gold mine in Makosa, Mutoko, early Thursday morning.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that Quijun Yu (43), a foreign national employed at the mine, shot Fungai Nhau (36) at around 2:00 a.m. on October 9, 2025.
“The ZRP is investigating the circumstances in which a foreign national, Quijun Yu (43), shot Fungai Nhau (36) at a mine in Makosa on 09/10/25 at around 0200 hours,” police said.
“It is alleged that the foreign national was on duty when several people pounced at the Boiler/Carbon room, resulting in the shooting incident. The foreign national has been arrested.”
Police said investigations are ongoing and more details will be released in due course.
However, China Zhuhe Mining Company has denied allegations circulating on social media that Nhau, a worker at the mine, was shot while demanding his salary. In its own statement, the company claimed that a group of armed robbers had broken into the mine and that the Chinese engineer fired warning shots in self-defense.
“At 00:33 on the early morning of October 9, a group of gangsters climbed over the courtyard wall of the gold mine in an attempt to commit robbery,” the company said.
“The on-duty Chinese engineer, armed with a legally registered firearm, fired several warning shots into the air to stop the criminal act. The gangsters immediately fled in all directions.”
The company further alleged that one of the suspected robbers, later identified as Nhau, was found critically injured about one kilometre from the scene and died before police arrived.
“While the police were en route to the scene, local villagers, unaware of the truth, saw the body and mistakenly suspected Chinese employees of improper conduct. They then besieged several innocent Chinese employees. Fortunately, the police arrived in time and quickly brought the situation under control,” the company added.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) condemned the incident, calling for a full investigation and accountability from both the company and authorities.
“If indeed these reports are true, then the tragic incident exposes a dangerous mindset that some foreign employers have been allowed to harbor that Zimbabweans are powerless and our laws can be ignored with impunity,” said ZDAMWU General Secretary Justice Chinhema.
The union said the case underscores the broader issue of exploitation and mistreatment of local workers by some foreign employers, particularly in the mining sector, and urged the government to ensure justice and protection for Zimbabwean workers.
“This is not just about one man’s life; it is about sending a clear and unambiguous message that human life is sacred and must be protected at all costs,” Chinhema said.
“The era of impunity ends now.”
As police continue investigations, the incident has reignited debate over the treatment of Zimbabwean workers in Chinese-run mines and the need for stronger oversight of foreign investors in the country’s extractive sector.
