NO MORE RENEWAL OF ILLOMBA MINING LICENCE

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 Yamikani Kachingwe

WhatsApp Video 2020-08-10 at 09.37.15

BY DRAXON MALOYA

Government has declared that once the operating Licence for Ilomba Mining Company Limited gets expired in June this year, it wont be renewed.

***The burnt security hats at Illomba mine,an act of disgust with the company by residents***

The Deputy Minister for Energy and Mining, Mwangasula Mwambande disclosed this on Friday during the meeting which four cabinet ministers held with the Indigenous Business Community in Chitipa District.

Mwambande made the declaration when responding to a concern that the Senior Chief in the District, T/A Kamememe was dragged to court for fighting for the rights of his people,
“As government we are equally concerned with the conduct of the Chinese Mining firm for dragging our Senior Chief to court, that is not our traditional belief,” Mwambande said.

The meeting which was convened by a total of five cabinet ministers namely Jappie Mhango, Ralph Jumah, Symon Vuwa Kaunda, Mark Botomani and Mungaluswa Mwambande was aimed at sharing concerns of slow growth in infrastructure development in the northern region.

High on the agenda was the issue of Mbilima road connecting to Tanzania which is said to contribute significantly to the economic growth of the country.

In his remarks the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson in the District, Sydney Simwaka raise suspicion with a group of people travelling with the ministers masquerading as a regional committee for the Indegenous Business Community (IBM) for the region.

And in his remarks the roads and public works minister, Ralph Jumah said government will embark on a number of road construction projects in this year’s financial budget.

The Ilomba Mining Limited Company’s Executive Director, Jou Chan said he cannot comment on the issue because he has not received any communication to that effect.