For Karamoja to benefit from mining, MoUs are crucial

Communities in Karamoja continue to linger in poverty despite the recent boom in the mineral sector, evidenced by licensing of 61.67 per cent of land in Karamoja sub-region for mineral exploration and exploitation activities (January, 2014 statistics from the DGSM).

More than 80 per cent of Karamoja is living below the poverty line and lagging behind the rest of the country on all socio-economic indicators.

It is imminent that community involvement in land acquisition for exploration is set by law and that compensation of land owners is a mandate. Astonishingly, such obligations have not been effected and this has led to constant clashes between mining companies and host communities. Previously, there’ve been discontents in form of complaints from artisanal and small scale miners that are incessant in Tapac, Katikekile and Rupa sub-counties of Moroto District. Mining companies like Tororo Cement Limited, Africa Minerals, Agro-mechanised Company Limited and DAO Africa Limited have continued to gloat amid the deafening fangs of artisanal and small scale miners comprising of the Tepeth and Matheniko ethnic groupings among others in Karamoja.

Most of the artisanal and small scale miners and other communities have wept for support but often received blank promises. The authorities that should help offer a voice, in their incautiousness have encased and rubbed all these issues on their thighs despite attempts to seek more workable solutions. If not well-diagnosed, the umbrage resulting will return the much-desired development that Karamoja hankers, down to the drain and can intensify disgruntlement and profit violence instead.

Working conditions too are nearing worse in these mining places as mining companies here seem like demi-gods. Locals work months on end without pay and when remuneration comes, they are denied some months or are threatened with dismissal.

No body, if not few shakily seem to ask the “why” question, rather, they are quick to point out the short benefit of the activity without looking at the level of biodiversity abuse the environment is being subjected too, the level of physical agony a poor rural woman whose marble stones are bought at a very low price goes through to mention but a few. “Are these conditions that mining companies coat their greater profit margins with for the less informed Karamoja communities?” Memorandums of Understanding or Community Development Agreements should be the basis before the start of the project and must be inclusive of all the stakeholders that may be affected by such a project.

It should stipulate the roles of each stakeholder and the mutual share of benefits it brings. The terms and conditions in it should be comprehensively explained to all the parties alike including the illiterate based on agreements on any suspected areas of conflict and interest. The land owners must be compensated in accordance with the expositions in the legal books governing the State enshrined in the Constitution.

Communities must not be coerced to sign due to tactful delays instead should be systematic and planned and should highlight the mechanisms for monitoring such agreements.

They are needed for advancing and strengthening a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship. And if adopted, well-implemented will improve relationships between companies, communities, the civil society sector and other stakeholders and as well promote sustainable and mutually rewarding benefits from mining projects, including pro-poor initiatives and other strategies that may extend beyond the project immediate scope of impacts.

Martha Angella is a project manager for Karamoja Extractives Mineral Sector Transparency and Accountability Project II at Ecological Christian Organisation.