Communities urged to form mining committee

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of Karonga Diocese has urged community members around Kasikizi Coal Mine in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kyungu in the district to form a mining committee.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, CCJP project officer Vincent Bwinga said the committee will help to enhance a cordial relationship between communities and the miner.

He said they will launch a new project in the area dubbed Women Voice Against Poverty and Inequalities in Extractive Governance aimed at reducing labour laws violations, environmental degradation and enhancing gender responsiveness from women.

Said Bwinga: “The project aims at empowering women in two mining sites, namely Kasikizi in group village head [GVH] Mweninguwe in T/A Kyungu and Kasantha in GVH Katumbi in T/A Kilupula. 

“So, forming community mining committees is imperative because these committees will be acting as bridges between the community and investors to amicably resolve pertinent issues.”

Former Mbande Area Development Committee chairperson Christina Ngonga commended CCJP for the project, saying it will enhance negotiations with miners to give back to the community.

“With the formation of the committee, we will negotiate for boreholes, a clinic and even school blocks,” she said.

Kasikizi Coal Mine Plant manager Vijey Sekhar said they will work with the committee to address any pertinent issues.