The site, closed a month ago, had become a hub for unlicensed artisanal miners, posing severe risks to both human safety and the environment.
Authorities have intensified their presence at the Bulamba Ward gold mining area in Namayingo Town Council as part of ongoing efforts to address illegal and hazardous mining practices.
The site, closed a month ago, had become a hub for unlicensed artisanal miners, posing severe risks to both human safety and the environment.
The Police Minerals Protection Unit has since ramped up its deployment in the area to prevent further incidents.
According to ACP Julius Caesar Tusingirwe, Commander of the Police Minerals Protection Unit, the intervention was crucial to mitigating dangers associated with unregulated mining.
“People were losing their lives in collapsed pits, while mercury use contaminated nearby water sources. The influx also led to the establishment of informal lodges and restaurants within the mining zone,” Tusingirwe explained.
The crisis has extended beyond environmental and safety concerns, with local leaders reporting a rise in school dropouts as children abandoned their studies to join mining activities alongside their parents.
In a bid to find sustainable solutions, Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development, Phiona Nyamutoro, visited the area on a fact-finding mission.
While community members hoped for the reopening of the goldfields, the minister emphasized the need for proper organization and licensing of artisanal miners.
“Form organized artisanal mining associations and obtain the necessary licenses. Only then can mining resume in a structured and safe manner,” Nyamutoro urged.
It was revealed that, of the thousands of miners previously operating in the area, only one held a valid mining license.
A critical meeting has been scheduled for next Tuesday, where the minister, local leaders, and representatives of artisanal miners’ associations will discuss the way forward.
“This meeting is part of our commitment to finding a lasting solution that balances community livelihoods with environmental protection and safety,” Tusingirwe added.
Local leaders face the challenge of reconciling the community’s economic dependence on mining with the pressing need to safeguard Namayingo’s natural and social resources.
As the community anticipates the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting, the fate of the Bulamba goldfields hangs in the balance.
