RESIDENTS of Ifumbo Ward in Chunya District, Mbeya Region, have appealed to the government to remove gold miners who had invaded Zira river because the human activity destroys environment and the river as well..

The residents also argue that the  activities violate directives issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan when she was Vice President. During her tenure, she banned mining activities in two rivers in the district—Zira and Lupa rivers to protect the environment.

The complaints were raised during a visit by the Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde. The purpose of the visit was to inspect mining activities in the area and assess compliance with the country’s laws.

One resident, Abel Mlangali, noted that President Samia’s directive was aimed at protecting Lake Rukwa, into which the  rivers flow. The ban sought to prevent siltation and sedimentation that could raise the lake’s water level.

“Despite the ban, some miners, including investors, continue their activities in the river using advanced machinery, causing significant environmental degradation,” Mlangali said. He added that the community had made various efforts to prevent the destruction, but it persists, with some investors allegedly assaulting locals and confiscating their means of transportation, particularly motorcycles.

“We have been enforcing the president’s directive by protecting this river, but we are being attacked with tear gas, and our motorcycles are confiscated. We ask for your intervention to ensure the safety of the river. No investor or local miner should remain; all must leave,” Mlangali urged.

Michael Sanga, another resident, said some miners in the area hold licences and government permits, which suggests deliberate violation by certain government officials. He called for the  licences to be revoked to safeguard the river and ensure that environmental laws are respected. He also decried the use of tear gas against unarmed residents as a legal violation and appealed to the government for protection.

Ifumbo Ward Councillor Weston Mpyela reported that, due to their efforts to protect the river, they have faced threats from some investors who have warned of taking them to court for unclear reasons.

“Despite these threats, we will continue to safeguard the river to ensure its safety for the development of our community,” Mpyela said.

Mbeya Regional Commissioner Juma Homera acknowledged the significant environmental damage in the area, noting that it was caused not only by investors but also by local residents participating in mining activities. He said he had never visited the area before but had accompanied the former Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union and Environment, Seleman Jaffo, along with officials from the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), to a nearby location that had also been degraded.

Minister of Minerals Anthony Mavunde pledged to collaborate with the Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union and Environment to form a team of experts to investigate activities in the river before taking any action. He stated that if the team’s report confirmed environmental harm, necessary measures would be taken, including revoking licences. However, if the report indicated no significant damage, mining activities would be allowed to continue.

“For mining activities to begin, there must be a licence, and the license holder must obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate issued by NEMC. I cannot revoke a licence if procedures were followed, but the team’s report will guide our actions,” Mavunde explained. He further announced that while waiting for the team to be established, all mining activities in the river must halt to allow for the investigation, assuring residents that the team’s work would be completed swiftly.