MPs want Chinese company bosses arrested for illegal sand mining in Mpigi

The Parliamentary Natural Resources Committee has directed that Chinese company Zhong’s industries Ltd goes to police for further investigations over their illegal sand mining business.

Laywers of Zhong company appearing before the committee on natural resources of Parliament.

Laywers of Zhong company appearing before the committee on natural resources of Parliament.

The directive comes after the managing director of Zhong Industries, Collin Subika, admitted on Tuesday that the company does not have a license to mine sand at Lwera wetland in Mpigi yet they are mining within the protected zone of Lake Victoria.

Zhong is accused of violating regulation 30 of the Environment Act on wetlands, riverbanks, and lake shores which could have adverse effects.

Members of Parliament on the committee asked Subika and his delegation of lawyers given powers of attorney by the directors of the company who are both Chinese.

The committee was presented with the passport details of one of the directors Ran Henglin.

The MPs also reacted to submissions by other companies like Seroma Investments, John Ssebalamu’s Capital Estates, Pastor Kakande’s Aqua World and Chinese Company Mango Tree Group that mine sand in Lwera Wetlands in Mpigi and Kalungu districts.

The Mango Tree Group does not have any management team in Uganda.

Retired Canon Seroma Ssekidde told the committee that they have not begun sand mining just he acquired land from artisanal miners and that he is grappling with encroachers like Zhong’s Industries that has left several deep pits on their land.

The Committee was told by the local leaders and residents in Lwera that Seroma does not have a permit to mine sand but Ssekidde produced a photocopy of the said permit which will be verified later on.

These were some of the reactions of the committee members after meeting the different companies mining sand in Lwera wetlands.

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