Army, police deployed in Kisita gold mines

Kassanda, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF, have been deployed in Kisita gold mining area, Kassanda district.

More than 30,000 people, among them artisanal miners had occupied the gold mining area in the last four years and had declined to vacate the area claiming legal interests in the site, but last week, they accepted to voluntarily vacate the mines.

Kisita gold mining area in Kalwana sub county, Kassanda district was reportedly licensed to investors who include Horizon Energy Ltd, businessmen Abbas Mawanda, Muyanja Mbabali (former MP), the Maviri Family and USU Group under Kisiita Mining Company Ltd.

In May, President Yoweri Museveni issued a directive giving a grace period of six months to miners under Kitumbi Small Scale and Artisanal Miners’ Association, to voluntarily vacate the place or be forcefully evicted. The directive followed complaints from the United Arab Emirates-based investor Rashed Alsuwaid of Horizon Energy Ltd, that the artisans were disturbing his operations in the area.

Kassanda Resident District Commissioner Phoebe Namulindwa says that the security personnel will remain in the area until all the miners vacate the site.

Namulindwa said that the joint security team will hand over the site to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral development which will in turn hand over to the investors.

According to Namulindwa, the artisanal miners have relocated to other mining areas. She adds that the authorities in Kassanda have started registering miners in different areas to help them track their operations and maintain security in the district.

The Wamala Police Regional Spokesperson, Rachel Kawala said the artisanal miners adhered to the deadline they were given and voluntarily vacated the gold mines as per the presidential directive.

She adds that the police force has deployed officers to maintain the peace and security of the place.

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