By Sam Okwakol
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda, Irene Muloni has said government will not backtrack from ending illegal mining and trade in Uganda.
She said government will continue with the eviction of illegal miners across the country and their next target is Busia, Karamoja, Buhweju among other areas where there is illegal mining.
“The recent eviction of illegal miners in Mubende is just the beginning but we are taking our operations to other areas and we will soon be evicting illegal miners in Busia, Karamoja, Buhweju and in all other parts of the country where there is illegal mining activity,” Muloni said.
She explained government intends to regularize mining and minimize illegal mining and trade of minerals in Uganda.
“Government is evicting illegal miners because we want to streamline and organize the sector by registering all persons and companies that are interested in mining so that government can benefit from them through taxes,” she said.
Muloni noted unregulated mining activities in Uganda have cost the government in lots of revenues.
“We want to control the mining sector so that everyone involved in it benefits. Government itself is losing in terms revenue because you cannot tax an illegal activity and so are the miners because they trade underground and end up being cheated because they trade on the black market as well as miners who are not licensed.”
Government in August this year evicted an estimate of over 60,000 illegal miners in Uganda, which eviction attracted condemnation in various forums including parliament which moved emotion asking that the evictions be lifted.
In their Motion titled “Motion for the a Resolution of Parliament to Investigate the Eviction and Displacement of Small Scale/Artisan Miners in Mubende district”, Hon. Bukenya Michael Iga, Hon. Nsamba Oshabe Patrick, Hon. Mwijukye Francis, Hon. Simeo Nsubuga, and Mbwatekamwa Gaffa contended that the displacement and eviction of small scale miners led to deprivation of a source of livelihood to over 60,000 people and destruction of property, but greed that further regularization of small scale miners will build a strong mining industry that will be a source of revenue to government.
In their resolution, the Members of Parliament suggested four recommendations to government concerning the eviction of illegal miners including among others that, the evictions by Gemstone International and the police be reconsidered, Government through the Attorney General, Ministry of Energy and Mineral development together Gemstone International compensate the small scale miners/artisanal miners, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and Gemstone International fast-truck the regularization of artisanal mining in Uganda to legally recognize them, and that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development integrates and rehabilitates artisanal miners and gazettes mining areas for them.
In her response to the MPs, Muloni said government will register all illegal miners and will go ahead to train them in best practices of mining including environmental management.
“Government will not compensate for an illegal activity but we will reorganize, register and train them, even if it was you, over 60000 illegal miners, would you manage to compensate them?” Muloni asked. She said even if you managed to compensate them, then you would be encouraging illegal activity.
In their report of August, 2017, SAFERWORLD, did a study into the mining sector of Uganda, and in one of their recommendations, they urged government to be transparent about the issuance of license process and that priority should be given to applications made by artisanal miners before considering external applications to boost the general economic wellbeing of locals involved and to accelerate the development of mineral host communities.
However, MPs raised a concern that the small scale Miners/artisans in Mubende applied for the allocation of a license from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in 2015 but did not receive any reply but instead learnt that the Ministry granted a mining lease of 21 years and exploration license of three years to Gemestones International for the same area.
They (Members of Parliament) argued that the failure by the ministry to establish an effective regulatory framework to guide the operations of artisanal mining left the sector largely informal and exposed to crime and conflicts, exploitation and abuse by investors.
In the same August 2017, report, SAFERWORLD underscored that the excessive powers of the commissioner should be distributed across structures and proposed the elevation of the DGSM to a directorate as contained in the draft green paper on the Minerals and Mining Policy 2016 should be implemented but should devolve powers to local governments and that to decrease chances of conflict there is a need to increase public awareness about human rights and the responsibilities of mineral rights holders and other non-state actors. This should include encouraging rights holders to adopt corporate codes of conduct that allow communities to engage with stakeholders; and to make tangible corporate social responsibility commitments in agreement with communities.
In an interview with this publication, the Energy minister, Irene Muloni reiterated government commitment end illegal activity in the mining sector by registering all miners and to train them.
However, the August 2017, SAFERWORLD report, highlighted that while the Chamber Mines has done a lot of work to ensure effective coordination among players, the interactions among mining companies and individuals is happening only in boardrooms in Kampala rather than in mining areas. In the field, relations are characterized by conflict in the form of cut-throat competition, especially among companies dealing in the same type of minerals. The companies and individuals are not conflict-sensitive as they compete for human resources, funding from investors and exercise secrecy about their operations.
This, the report said, has implications for who is able to participate and is a missed opportunity for inclusive investment in the country’s mining sector.
Last Month Last month the media was awash with reports that there was a Presidential directive to evict over 60,000 miners in Mubende.
These were reported to be unregistered miners whose activity had not been reorganized by the government. And in a bid to reorganize the mining activities in the area, government sought it wise to have all those operating in the area evacuated and reregistered so that they can be formally reorganized by government and government can as well benefit from them in form of taxes.