Ten years ago, no one envisioned the current magnitude of the mining boom in Karamoja sub-region, an area that is now popular for its vast mineral resources like gold, marble, limestone, gypsum, etc, yet grappling with poverty.
Visit the gold and marble-rich Rupa and Tapac sub-counties in Moroto district and you will appreciate the Karamoja mining sector and the immense opportunities it holds for the people.
One wonders how a region well-endowed with abundant mineral wealth can be so engrossed in poverty with never-ending water scarcity, food insecurity, high infant mortality rates and poor infrastructure.
The answer is reflected in the exploitation that is prevalent in the mining sector and the continuous lack of regulations for the artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) sector considering that it employs over 20,000 people in the region, 80 per cent being women. If well developed, the ASM has the potential to stir economic development in the region and empower Karimojong women economically.
Currently, most miners are paid less, considering the workload. Because of the food insecurity, most miners, especially women, work for food, thus have no savings but more poverty as a result.
For the case of gold mining, the recovery level is still low as most people in ASM use rudimentary methods. To improve recovery, people may be forced to use mercury, a dangerous chemical that may contaminate the few water resources in the area.
The pricing of gold, too, continues to be low with continuous exploitation from middlemen characterized by payment in kind, mostly exchanging gold for alcohol in some mining communities. Overall, the revenues from the mining sector are not properly tracked, making it difficult to generate sufficient revenues.
For Karamoja to benefit from the mineral sector, responsible authorities must support community participation in decision-making, and development of regulations.
They should also facilitate the sector by formalizing ASM in associations for them to acquire location licenses, attain financial support to buy semi-mechanized tools to maximize efficient recovery in mining.
Government has to effectively regulate mining companies to check on their exploitative tendencies. It should also empower communities on their mining rights and entitlements.
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