CDEDI up against infamous ‘operation samala mgodi’

By IOMMIE CHIWALO

The unrealistic, imbalances and ill-treatment of local mining artisans has compelled rights watchdog Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) for suspension of the infamous ‘operation samala mgodi’ currently undertaken jointly with Malawi Defence Force and Ministry of Mining and Energy.

In a letter forwarded to Principal Secretary for Mines and Energy, CDEDI has raised a number of pertinent issues including the suspension of licences to local and small scale artisans yet naturalised Malawians of Asian origin are permitted to mine precious minerals in the country.

Records from Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) through its subsidiary, Export Development Fund (EDF) show that since 2021 the entity has been buying gold in the country and that the precious mineral is sourced from artisan mining from across the country.

CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, expressed worry that while EDF is calling for more gold supplies, the Mining and Minerals Regulatory Authority (MMRA) suspended issuance of licences to aspiring artisan miners in 2023.

“Ironically, the naturalised Malawians, Malawians of Asian origin, foreigners and a few politically connected individuals have access to licences,” says Namiwa.

He adds that as the MMRA is playing games, over a million Malawians that for years tried in vain to earn a living through subsistence farming and desperate job seekers that could not be absorbed by the shrinking economy, found a new lease of life through the gold mining activities spread across the country.

“Due to the increase in purchasing power, such areas witnessed a boom in trading of other goods resulting into an instant improved living conditions. Inadvertently, the so called illegal gold mining instantly addressed the unacceptable unemployment levels and food security at the grassroots level, now that gold deposits are almost in each and every district in the country,” he highlighted.

He said millions of unsuspecting citizens got a shock of their lives after the very same government that was supposed to protect them in the first place unleashed terror in the name of law enforcement without constructively engaging them first.

“This, in our view, is unacceptable because in an open and civilised society like Malawi, the state apparatus should never be used to attack the citizenry. What Malawians have witnessed should never be condoned as it is reminiscent of state sponsored terror during the immediate past Malawi Congress Party (MCP) regime,” he said.

Namiwa feels ‘operation samala mgodi’ only brings to light a serious question of policy inconsistency, since government is buying gold through EDF and the same government is priding itself in cracking down on the gold diggers.

“The current unwarranted crackdown, implying that government is relying on the same so called illegal miners, therefore CDEDI demands that Government should suspend the senseless attack of its own voters and taxpayers and also that the ministry should immediately engage the affected communities to organise them in groups for easy access to financing so that they should acquire low cost technologies that should help dig the gold at the same time conserve the environment, improve sanitation as well as occupational and workplace safety,” he said.

He added that a properly structured and empowered community will be ready to defend the mineral wealth and report smuggling while benefiting.

The CDEDI top brass has also made it clear on the need for MMRA to immediately issue gold mining licences to locals where the gold deposits are not substantial to warrant a foreign investor.

“Additionally, Government should review and revoke gold mining licences and reserve licences that have been idle for three years and award the same to locals. It is also important for Government to release unconditionally those arrested, including property and gold confiscated in the course of the exercise, since it is reflecting negatively on this administration. This time the authorities should learn how the neighbouring Mozambique is handling gold mining by empowering its citizens to benefit and by doing so, the Malawi government stands to expand the tax base to the million miners and increase its forex base by selling more gold,” says Namiwa.

While Ministry officials confirm receipt of the letter from CDEDI, there is no immediate feedback on what would be the immediate action based on the contents of the letter.