Hague – Zimbabwean legislator and human rights lawyer Daniel Molokele has received the 2026 Senator Kimberley Kitching Prize for Courage in Defence of Democracy, using his acceptance speech in The Hague to raise concerns over the treatment of workers and local communities by Chinese mining companies operating in Hwange.
Molokele, who represents Hwange Central in Zimbabwe’s Parliament, received the award during the sixth annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), held in The Hague, Netherlands. The gathering brought together lawmakers from different countries to discuss human rights, democratic freedoms and the influence of authoritarian governments.
Addressing the summit, Molokele criticised the operations of Chinese-owned coal mining companies in his constituency, accusing them of benefiting from local natural resources while failing to adequately invest in surrounding communities or protect workers and the environment.
“The coal that God gave us has attracted investors from all over the world,” he said. “In my primary school years, the company that mined coal was called Anglo American Corporation. Today, many companies mine coal, and most of them are of Chinese origin.”
He questioned the conduct of mining companies, saying their activities had not delivered sufficient benefits to the communities living alongside the coal operations.
“They do not care about investing in local communities. They do not care about labour rights or workers’ rights; neither do they care about protecting our local environment,” Molokele said.
“Our local communities are currently getting a raw deal from these Chinese companies.”
The legislator said his concerns about the impact of Chinese business activities in Zimbabwe had influenced his decision to work with other lawmakers through IPAC.
He joined the alliance in 2022, becoming part of an international network of parliamentarians seeking to challenge what they regard as injustices associated with China’s activities in their respective countries.
The Senator Kimberley Kitching Prize was established in 2025 in memory of Australian Senator Kimberley Kitching, a founding co-chair of IPAC in Australia, who died in March 2022 at the age of 52.
Kitching was recognised for her work in support of human rights and democratic governance. She advocated sanctions against individuals accused of serious human rights violations and raised concerns about China’s treatment of Uyghurs.
The award recognises parliamentarians who demonstrate courage and integrity in defending democratic institutions and resisting pressure from authoritarian actors.
Its first recipient was Solomon Islands parliamentarian Peter Kenilorea Jr., who received the prize during IPAC’s 2025 summit in Brussels for his opposition to alleged foreign interference and political intimidation.
Molokele is a lawyer and long-standing human rights advocate who has also served on Zimbabwean parliamentary committees dealing with health, education and women’s affairs.
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