During a parliamentary session on tourism, Mudenda urged coal miners to focus on untapped coal deposits in Binga, leaving Hwange National Park undisturbed. He said:

I will not subscribe to mining in national parks. The place that has been identified for mining purposes is not the only location where coal can be found.

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We have coal in the southern part of Binga, as well as in the southeast and southwest of Binga—still virgin land with plenty of coal deposits.

Why disturb the ecology of the animals there?

Bhejane Trust, a non-profit wildlife conservation organisation based in Victoria Falls, recently warned that the effects of coal mining in Sinamatella would extend beyond wildlife. 

The organisation said that tourism in the area would suffer, leading to the closure of tourist camps, loss of business, and damage to the park’s infrastructure.

The Trust also expressed concerns that mining operations would likely result in severe water pollution, destruction of infrastructure, and social issues such as prostitution, with little to no benefit for the country.

Such activities would disrupt the park’s ecosystem, threaten biodiversity, and severely impact wildlife habitats, particularly those of black rhinos.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has also called on the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to reject Sunny Yi Feng’s application to prospect for coal in Sinamatella, citing concerns that mining would increase the risk of species extinction and hinder the recovery of animal populations.