Women miners

Evicted Gold Miners in Mubende district are pessimistic that they will yield positive results from investigations by the parliamentary committee on natural resources.

The miners were evicted a while ago by the army and police to give way to an investor to take over the area

The committee is set to visit the mining area next week to assess the situation

The Executive Director African Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy Don Bwesigye says they have lost a lot of valuables noting that compensation concerns should as well be addressed

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committee chairperson and also Isingiro MP Alex Byarubaga

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources have said they  plan to carry out an oversight visit following complaints over illegal eviction of artisan miners in Mubende district.

This stemmed from a submission by Kassanda North MP, Patrick Nsamba, accusing the energy ministry of using the army to evict the local people from their source of livelihood without involving the local leadership.

Nsamba’s issue was among several ones raised by the committee and were responded to by the State minister for Energy Simon D’ujanga together with the permanent secretary of the ministry Dr. Robert Isabaija.

The furious legislator said it was unfortunate that over 60,000 Ugandans were chased from Rugingi mining center in Mubende two weeks ago in favour of one investor in the names of Gameston mining company.

He says artisanal miners can co-exist with the investors like in other countries.

However, the permanent secretary Dr. Robert Isabaija says the artisanal miners were even using bulldozers, trucks, deadly chemicals like mercury which has degraded the environment.

Isabaija together with minister D’ujanga insists that the three months process of organising these miners will see the mining industry put right by even limiting it to only Ugandans unlike the situation now.

The committee later resolved to go for a fact finding mission next week in the said mining center to see how the peasants can be helped.

But Rukungiri Woman MP Winnie Matsiko wants the team’s security given top priority because the director for geological survey Edward Kato says the artisanal miners locked him up when he visited the site recently.

The committee chairperson and also Isingiro MP Alex Byarubaga has asked the responsible authorities to ensure the team will be secure.

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state minister for minerals, Peter Lokeris

Illegal miners in Mubende are running away from the mining areas following  government’s exercise of registering   local miners in this place in the district.

Gold artisan and small scale gold miners in Mubende who are leaving under fear following alleged presidential directive to evict them from the area are also  now going through registration to separate between illegal foreign and local miners in the area.

Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development, Peter lokeris, together with  the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Dr. Stephen Robert Ishabiija, confirmed the registration of miners in Mubende while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources this week .

The Committee Chaired by Isingiro South MP,  Alex Byarugaba, pinned the Ministry of Energy officials on failure to certify most of Uganda minerals to generate more revenues through giving licenses.

The UPDF representative in parliament Brigadier Innocent Felix Oula said that few of Uganda minerals are certified resulting into Uganda missing out revenue to illegal miners.

Women miners

“We started the exercise of  registration of miners in Mubende and as this is going on,some illegal miners are running away from this place, saying that influx of people in this area had become a security concern,” Loreris said, adding  that; “After this exercise genuine miners will be issued with license to operate legally and this will be taken to all the places with minerals.”

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The allegations were brought before the house on Thursday afternoon by 2 MPs who included; Hon.Agaba Abasi the Kitagwenda County MP and Florence Namayanja,the Bukoto East MP who said that many of wetlands are being  depleted while government is looking on. They said these unchecked practices from the said investors need to be protested because such activities were degrading the environment.

The MPs did not however, mention where the degradation was particularly taking place.

The Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Namboze.

Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakireke, said that these investors came as water transport investors but only to get into sand mining. She also alleged that some of them were involved in exporting Uganda’s soil abroad.

However, Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda while responding to the allegations said that government is not aware of any body authorized to export soil.

This prompted the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, and asked the committee to investigate this matter and report to Parliament in October.

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Harrison Mutekanga, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (Right) together with the Energy Minister, Irene Muloni.

Harrison Mutekanga, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL)today (August 17)told the Committee Chaired by the Isingiro South MP, Alex Byarugaba, that the two power plants are cracking from  the power house structure.

He attributed the cracking on these power dams to reactive concrete.

Lawrence Songa,the MP for  Ora County in Zombo district also demanded to know the contractor who built a section on Karuma power dam which developed similar  cracks so as that such companies are black listed from undertaking future works.

The Chairperson of the Natural Resources Committee, Alex Byarugaba, said that the government should consider repairing this dam since it has become old.

The hydro power dam was constructed in 1954 and its life span was supposed to push on for more 30 years from now.

Mutekanga also said that the UEGCL plans to increase hydro power installation capacity by 50% from 380MW to 833MW by the year 2020.

He said that they will build local capacity for operation and maintenance of Karuma and Isimba hydro power plants to support government initiative of providing employment to youth to keep power tariff affordable and competitive.

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