Chakwera vows to push for revised mining law in Parliament

President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and leader of opposition in Parliament, Lazarus Chakwera has said he will push for the passing of the revised mines and minerals Bill in the next sitting of Parliament.


Chakwera meets Paramount Chief Kyungu in Karonga on Thursday before holding whistle-stop meetings for MCP

Chakwera  speaking in the Northern Region during his whistle -stop meetings that there is mismanagement in the mining sector breeding corruption.

He said the law should favour the local people, saying mining companies should have shareholders of Malawians and clear corporate social responsibility to benefit the mining areas.

“We want local people to start benefitiing from the natural resources,” said Chakwera.

He said the local communities like Karonga were being deprived of the benefits of their natural resources as   officials from the department of mines keep going to the mining area to collect huge amounts of deposits on the pretext of conducting a survey instead of coming on the open to declare whether the areas have precious stones or not.

The leader opposition noted that the entire property and control over all minerals in Malawi is vested in the President on behalf of the people of Malawi, saying this has to change.

“We need to stop  the dealings between prospective corporations working in the extractive industry and the Malawi Government secret at State House. These dealings are supposed to be negotiated to promote the interests of the people of Malawi,” he said.

Chakwera said for  the country to benefit  from an extractive activity such as mining, there  must be  a legislative and policy framework that is deliberately structured to respond to all possible challenges in the process.

He adds that this ensures that benefits from the industry are equitably realised.

The 2007 Kayelekera development deal  for uranium with Paradin was negotiated under the legislative direction of the 1981 Mines and Minerals Act. There was not even a mining policy then.

The Natural Resource Justice Network (NRJN), a group of CSOs that speaks on mining, however, proposes the need for Malawi to have a Mineral Development Corporation to consist of representatives of key government departments such as mines development, environmental affairs, finance, economic planning, lands, geological survey, civil society representative, law society and accountancy body.

“The corporation should have a board of directors, chief executive officers and management and again, it should be provided with functions which are mainly facilitating development, including investment decision making; negotiating mining agreements and setting the requisite investment targets and monitoring,” says Renfold Mwangonde, spokesperson for NRJN.

Meanwhile, government has been urged to take action against illegal gold mining by many  foreigners.

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#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
5 years ago

Amending the Mining Law won’t guarantee benefits flowing to ordinary people. Malawi is full of corrupt people both in the private and public sectors. These are people who will go at length to steal anything from the poor. The Mining Law in South Africa is probably one of the progressive laws which focuses on 30% indigenous black ownership with profound provisions for CSI; yet with all the provisions on paper, the industry is the most corrupt with the consequence that the ordinary people end up getting a raw deal especially where the actual mining takes place. I would advise, Honourable… Read more »

Mlakaviwa
Mlakaviwa
5 years ago

Gold is a precious stone how could government allow illegal foreign miners. This is a pure joke

mediaz
5 years ago

MCP bomaaaaaa!!!!!

CESSPOOL SIMALOTO
CESSPOOL SIMALOTO
5 years ago

Why didn’t MCO campaign on this mining platform in 2014? MCP lethargy is chronically embedded in the leadership please MCP seize the moment the DPP tent needs more space to accommodate extras to the point of currying favour with UDF MCP has been too complacent with being the main opposition party without generating people-centred policies. Am cheering the UTM on the podium yet my prayers do go for MCP. Our nation does have a will prepared set of policies which can lifted for our benefit that is why our chiefs have turned into prostitutes they are malleable no principles that… Read more »

kaka ni dada
kaka ni dada
5 years ago

Kukamba kwa munthu wa mkulu , I hope Chilima is copying paja amatero ndidawonela mmene adakopela ya universal fertiliser subsidy from MCP manifesto.
Bravo Chakwera!

Bibo
Bibo
5 years ago

Which government will take action against illegal miners? You mean a government led by the man who sleeps on his job? By the way, how are these foreigners flooding these Gold spots? How do they get into the country and how do they know detailed locations of mining spots? Gold is a treasure that has to be handled at governmental level and not by artisanal miners. It’s either government has to negotiate a mining license with a major company or government itself can have a government-controlled mining company to do activities of exploration and exploitation. Illegal Gold trade can be… Read more »

Central
Central
5 years ago
Reply to  Bibo

DPP is the only beneficiary of mining products my dear!!

Grace Mbewe
Grace Mbewe
5 years ago

Good idea bwana leader of opposition, you have touched my heart once more after ACB director proposal.

Kaitano
Kaitano
5 years ago

Koka koka gwira gwira!! Mpaka lero under this Government we still not know kuti zilipati za Kayelekela, 4 years in power baba, chuma Cha ku Karonga chupindulira anthu Ena ku Thyoro ache Bwampini ndi azao a Maliseche, dzina ndilivela pompano don’t ask me where did I get this name, a chikopa Cha Nkhumba.
Chakwera ndi brazing fire baba.

phwisa
phwisa
5 years ago

Za zi zopanda mchere. Just to please CSOs. Chakwera is like he is Mtambo’s baby

Central
Central
5 years ago
Reply to  phwisa

Watchula kachikwama kako mchifukwa zakubowaaaaaaaaaaaa munya muona, the advantage is you’ve no control on time!! How many months now? Chakwera oyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Chilunga
Chilunga
5 years ago

APM is sleeping. We all know this! hence asking him to take action is insane. Leave this old man alone and kick him out on the ballot.

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