“Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug”, Isaiah 51 v 1b
Background
Mutoko District is generously endowed with natural resources. The Budja people of Mutoko have a rich history, and some of the country’s best heritage sites and landscapes. The beautiful culture of the Budja people is something to behold, to be nurtured, and passed on to future genera
tions. But beneath the glitter of black granite and the beautiful and sacred burial mountains and hills of some of the region’s great historical kings and behind that smiling face of the vegetable farmer – lies a painful story, a story of deprivation, of displacement, of poverty, of lifechanging health complications, of compromised safety, of environmental degradation, of infrastructure destruction, of cultural erosion, of heritage defacing of philistine proportions, and many more sad realities. A case in point is black granite. Since 1966, the black granite stones have been mined from Mutoko in order to build cities in foreign lands. So relentless have the miners been, that everyday hundreds of haulage trucks leave Mutoko with huge loads of a black granite stones. The stones are of a great value and sell at very high prices. However, Mutoko has remained under-developed despite being the source of such stones. In fact, the people of Mutoko have suffered heavily as a result these mining activities. The environmental degradation caused has reached alarming levels. Recently, a child died after falling into one of the pits left open by the mining companies. People have lost their traditional farming land with no compensation. As Mutoko Association for Socio-economic Transformation (MAST) we are here to advocate for a better Mutoko …… The people of Mutoko deserve better …..need to claim back their pride……can be self-sufficient , can economically empower themselves, regenerate their heritage sites, …….take their rightful seat at the country’……
Objectives
(1) To hold corporations operating in Mutoko accountable for environmental degradation as well as to encourage them to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility activities that are beneficial to the people of Mutoko. (2) To mobilise the people of Mutoko to demand a fair and equitable distribution of Mutoko’s natural resources through a community beneficiary and/or equity scheme. (3) To advocate for socio-economic development and improvement of infrastructure in Mutoko. (4) To raise awareness on the need and methods of environmental preservation and conservation. (5) To promote cultural and social awareness in Mutoko. (6) To lobby for investment towards beneficiation and processing of minerals and other resources found in Mutoko. Values
We believe in the following values:
a. Integrity
b. Responsibility and Accountability
c. Servant Leadership. Respect and Tolerance
e. Diversity and inclusivity
f. Freedom to express divergent views and opinions. Who Can Be a Member of MAST? Anyone with an interest in Mutoko irrespective of where they come from can be a member of MAST. Come and join us and together lets make our beloved Mutoko a greater place.
