Zim diamonds certified amid controversy

The Kimberley Process (KP), an internationalrecovery of gold in ore flotation tail plant waste diamond trade watchdog, has cleared diamonds from the Chiadzwa fields for export, amid accusations the current KP chair did so unilaterally. KP chairperson Mathieu Yamba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been accused by the KP Civil Society Coalition of “unilaterally” making the decision.

The United States has also raised concerns. However, Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu on Tuesday dismissed the protests as politically-motivated. He said: “The decision has been made and that is the decision that is binding,” Mpofu said. “It is clear that they are no longer pursuing a KP agenda, but a political one. We have always suspected that. We have fully complied with the KP requirements and they have now run out of excuses to stop us from selling our diamonds. They are now resorting to flimsy reasons to try and frustrate us...