MINISTER RUTH NAKABIRWA INTERVENES IN MINING COMPANY DISPUTE WITH WORKERS

By Ambrose Kweronda
In Rubanda

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa and State Minister for Minerals Peter Lokris have intervened in a payment dispute between artisanal miners in Rubanda District and a mining company owned by Rubanda West MP Moses Kamuntu Mwongyera.

During a reconciliation meeting between Miners and MP Kamuntu at Rwaara Village , Hamurwa town council in Rubanda district chaired by Minister Nankabirwa, Artisanal Miners under the their association Kigezi Iron Ore Artisanal Miners led by Dr Narisis Kabaterine artisanal miners claim that Kamuntu Investments Ltd has not paid them Shs 3B after supplying it with iron ore, which is ferried to steel factories in Kampala, Jinja and Kenya saying that the cases is already taken in courts of law.

They also informed the Minister about the association and demanded to have a mining licence to break Kamuntu’s monopoly.

In response to the accusations, MP Kamuntu refuted them saying that they are baseless and stage managed.He requested for transfer of Iron Ore Mining licence from Hamurwa to Muko Sub county in Rubanda District where he has 200 acres of land, in attempt to end his conflicts with Artisanal Miners

However, Minister Nankabirwa said that there is need to first investigate and find the truth of the matter on how procedure of payments were conducted. She promised to issue Mining license to the association but also expressed the need by the association to first have a geologist.

The Minister of State for trade industry and Cooperatives, Hon David Bahati said that Kigezi Sub-region has 312 million tones of Iron Ore that need to be used harmoniously such that people can benefit from it. He charged Artisanal Miners to United and reconcile with one another if they are to Utilize such Minerals. On the legal part, Wilfred Nuwagaba, the Ndorwa East County Member of Parliament advised Miners to register their land and get titles to avoid Land Conflicts.