Africa-Press – Uganda. Small scale miners in Bihanga Sub County, Buhweju District have accused Police’s mineral protection unit of extortion.
During a sensitization meeting convened by the Buhweju Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Nicholas Nuwagira at Karembe trading center, the local miners expressed anger that “their activities were being frustrated by members of the unit who force them to pay some money to be allowed to mine.”
Mr Charles Turyashemererwa, the Runengo parish councilor December 14 told the RDC that police officers ride through mining areas and visibly force “helpless miners to pay.”
“You should take away your mineral protection staff because they are useless. I get surprised when I see them arrive with their guns and motorcycles and they start getting money from heads of miners,” he said on Wednesday.
Citing a recent disaster where four people died in Buhhweju after a mine caved in, the local leader asked President Museveni to take the unit away.
“The police couldn’t be seen anywhere. What are they for?” Mr Turyashemererwa asked.
Kasambya Village resident Julius Mwesigye noted that mineral protection police has on several times charged each miner over Shs10,000 but with no accountability.
“They come, ask us to pay them money without a receipt. When you ask, they say that we are under the law and they leave,” Mr Mwesigye said.
But RDC Nuwagira did not immediately provide response to the complaints raised against the mineral police.
Speaking to Monitor via phone on Thursday, the mineral protection unit Southwestern zonal boss, Mrs Felestus Mbambu said she was hearing the allegations for the first time but promised to investigate the matter.
“I have not heard about them. I am now in Kampala but when I get back, I will go there and talk to them and investigate the matter,” Ms Mbambu told this reporter.
This is not the first time the mineral police is being accused of extorting money from local miners in Buhweju.
In 2021, the Buhweju County Member of Parliament (MP) Francis Mwijukye while debating a report on alleged eviction of artisanal miners and small scale miners in the country in Parliament noted that “minerals police was harassing the locals.”
He added that: “The unit was illegal in composition and operations and should be disbanded and reconstituted.”
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