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Traditional leaders demand govt shut down knsenseli
Traditional leaders in North Western province have demanded that government suspends mining activities at Kansenseli gold mine in Mwinilunga with immediate effect.

The traditional leaders says this current mining activities are not benefitting the people in Chibwika chiefdom and surrounding areas.

Their royal highnesses have also asked government to find another suitable investor for the mine as the current one has failed to run it.

“Government should also publicly disclose the owners of the mine and how much it has made since it was opened and how the proceeds have been used,”read the communique in part.

The traditional leaders said this in a communique made after a two days mining indaba organised by a consortium of civil society organisations in Solwezi.

They further demanded that government apologises to chief Chibwika and his subjects regarding the 5 percent the mine claims to be owned by the traditional leader.

They revealed that chief Chibwika has not signed any document regarding the 5 percent shareholding in the mine.

They have also asked government to exhaust consultations with traditional leaders on the revision of the mining policy and the legal frame to ensure chiefdoms benefit from natural resources.

“Government must also enact a local content policy to enable local people benefit from mining activities in their various provinces and districts, “the communique further read.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, North western province minister Robert Lihefu said government intends to foster long term mining policy reforms that will bring all citizens on board without discrimination as well as increase mining production through the introduction of enhanced monitoring and oversight mechanism and technologies.

He also said government intends to promote small scale mining as it has closer links to the local economy as well as put in place a policy and plan to increase local participation in the sector.

“Further more, government wants to promote and actualise diversification and value addition and also enhance collaboration between the local communities and investors to avoid development agreements that have been negative on environment and labour abuses,”said Mr Lihefu.

He stated that there is need to ensure that policies and legislation are robust enough to protect the communities and the economy at large from negative aspects that come with mining.

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