The death of livestock due to suspected poisoned water from a local stream in Masosa village, Ward 18 of Makonde district, Mashonaland West has raised alarm and prompted investigations by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
Concerns emerged after community members reported the death of catfish along Nyamupamire 2B Stream, a tributary of Piriviri River, on January 15, 2026.
Villagers said the fish had yellow-coloured bellies and emitted a foul smell, raising suspicions of possible poisoning.
More worrying for villagers was the reported death of two goats that allegedly drank water from the same stream during the same period, intensifying fears of water contamination and potential risks to both livestock and human health.
The incident triggered concerns that cyanide, commonly used in gold mining, could have spilled from mining operations within the river’s catchment area.
Cyanide is a fast-acting and potentially deadly chemical, though experts note it disintegrates when exposed to sunlight and its concentration reduces over time, particularly during the rainy season due to dilution.
EMA provincial spokesperson Munyaradzi Nhariswa said the agency carried out inspections on January 20, 2026, but found no physical evidence of the dead fish or goats due to the time lapse between the reported incident and the investigations.
“During the time of the inspections conducted by the agency, neither the fish nor goat remains were observed, probably because of the delay,” said Nhariswa.
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He added that EMA held a community meeting on the same day to educate residents on the signs of cyanide poisoning, precautionary measures, and the importance of promptly reporting suspected pollution incidents to ensure swift response.
Nhariswa said samples collected upstream and downstream of the suspected affected area were analysed at the EMA laboratory and showed no evidence of cyanide contamination.
“The results assure the public that the water is currently safe from the alleged contamination,” said Nhariswa.
He said EMA will continue to closely monitor Piriviri River and its tributaries.
Nhariswa also commended the Masosa Village community and its leadership for alerting authorities, saying timely reporting and compliance was necessary to prevent possible environmental disasters in the future.
Local traditional leader Sabhuku James Marima said people were still sceptical about the safety of the water.
“Most villagers are not drinking water from the river because there is fear that the water is still contaminated” said Marima
Makonde Member of Parliament Simbarashe Ziyambi said EMA should be fully equipped to swiftly react to cases that could have happened in the remote areas.
“I think there is need to equip EMA so that they can react quickly to such incidents because we understand they went to the area some days after dead fish were noticed by the villagers” Ziyambi said
“We have always encouraged miners to put in place spill contingency measures such as cut off trenches and regular maintenance and monitoring of treatment plants, to always have ferrous sulphate and antidotes in place.”
