Three women die in illegal mining activities in Malawi

As unregulated mines have sprouted up across Malawi at an unprecedented rate, three people, all of them women, are feared dead in Lilongwe when an illegal mine fell on them along Nathenje river.

Malawi battles increased illegal mining

Village headman Kachigo, whose area is where the illegal mine is, said one of the dead women is his own sister.

He could not say what stones are being mined but said they are shiny pink stones.

“It was a terrible accident. It took almost two hours to extract the bodies from the mine,” he said.

The police were not immediately available for comment.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy, mines and environmental affairs has given illegal miners up to July 20 to vacate all illegal mining places or face the law.

Spokesperson for the ministry Sangwani Phiri said the decision has been arrived at to stop the illegal exports of precious stones and stop the wanton cutting down of trees.

“They should get out of the illegal mining sites by July 20 otherwise security personnel will forcibly take them out. We have given them up to July 20 to enable them assemble all their equipment and leave the sites,” said Phiri.

Some of the illegal sites are Nathenje, Namizimu in Mangochi and Makanjira in Mangochi.

Chief Makanjira said a vehicle with loud speakers is moving around his area telling illegal miners to leave the illegal mining sites.

He accused some of his subjects of encouraging the illegal miners by giving them shelter, food and labour.

Any mining activity – be it small or large scale – is deemed illegal if not sanctioned by the president through the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.

Activists want parliament to establish a mining development commission, the functions of which would include granting, renewing and revoking mining licenses; regulating mining agreements; setting requisite investment targets; and monitoring compliance with policies and legislation.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
8 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ryt
ryt
5 years ago

Its the govetnment which is failing to indurge themself in mining they cant chase the pipo like dogs the activity is taking place in the farms in there farm treatches and the gorvernment should give them a lincese lyt there on there area coz these are small scale mining and companies can not be involved but ryt prosedures should be taken place

ndadabwa
5 years ago

zonsezi ndi umphawi omwe ukuchititsa. ndiye mukuti tivoterenso dpp. ndi anthu angati ataya miyoy mu nthawi ya Peter chifukwa cha upmphawi. ena kudya zosadyedwa chifukwa cha njala. ena kuomberedwa chifukwa choocha makala

Truth pains
Truth pains
5 years ago

Kaitano, your reasoning is so interesting. It reminds me of how much we need education. We cannot expect immediate removal of people from an economic activity that is not regulated. It needs a deeper understanding of how things work

Jigidi Jaba
Jigidi Jaba
5 years ago
Reply to  Truth pains

Defending inefficiency.

Cognitive DIssonance Theory
Cognitive DIssonance Theory
5 years ago

by 20 July????

Concerned citizen
5 years ago

There is wealth in our country.

The problem is they want to keep it as a domain for the selected few.

Can we have a list of the current miners in the country and where they are mining.

Nyaphiri
Nyaphiri
5 years ago

So we have mines in Malawi. Can we come in the open to state what minerals we have?

Kaitano
Kaitano
5 years ago

This country called Malawi,,,,,,,, how can you call it illegal mining while you know it is happening? And you even say,, we have given all illegal miners to leave by 20 July hahahaha stupid fool Malawi, how can you allow illegal miners to do mining for a period and ask them to leave the Area which was taken illegally? And you even say before the security personnel, what are you talking about???? You mean you will chase the Villagers after the precious stones are already stolen by illegal miners? Malawi Malawi Malawi, Kodi tinalodzedwa ndi chiani makamaka? The illegal miner’s… Read more »

Read previous post:
UTM’s Kaliati says poor civic education DPP’s ploy to rig elections: Dausi says nope

As opposition political parties and some Civil Society Organisations  (CSOs) continue with their appeal for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)...

Close