House Committee: Stop uranium exploration in Selous

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BY PATRICK KISEMBO
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24th October 2011

Worries about environment, legality

Govt says everything under control


The Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Environment has advised the government to suspend uranium exploration in Selous Game Reserve because majority of Tanzanians do not know how they are going to benefit from the project.

The project is being implemented by Matra Resource Tanzania Limited.
They raised the concern yesterday at a seminar on uranium mining in Dar es Salaam after visiting the mining site in the Selous last week.

The MPs also said that if implemented the minerals are likely to have a great impact on the wild animals adding that as a result the government would lose a lot of tourism income.

Citing the number of mining projects which Tanzanians have not directly benefited from, they said time for uranium extraction is not ripe yet.
Michael Lekule Laizer (Longido, CCM) said if the government allows uranium extraction it should also allow the mining of soda ash at Lake Natron which was suspended due to the fact that it might pollute the hatching grounds of the flamingos.

Vita Kawawa (Namtumbo, CCM) asked the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to state clearly the benefits which people living in the project area would get.

Committee chairman James Lembeli said: "There is a big problem which the government should work on. This project looks beneficial to the nation, but the procedures have been secret and we don't know why," he said.

He added: "As a result people have made their own interpretations of the outcomes of the project and possible consequences for the people living around it."

Lembeli who is also the legislator for Kahama constituency said Tanzanians have high expectations on the project, but its success will depend on their understanding of the whole issues of contracts, benefits and the government's keenness in monitoring it.

He said: "There are people who want the project to start today and others tomorrow. Whatever happens, issues of environmental preservation and mining must be clearly spelt out, so as not to affect people and animals."

He said it is an open secret that people have been complaining of not
benefiting from mining activities.

"We don't want to have another Buzwagi or Nyamongo. The government must be very careful in undertaking these uranium projects by involving all the stakeholders and it must confirm to the people that the bread is shared equally," he said.

Magdalena Sakaya, MP and committee member, complained over ownership of the companies exploring uranium in the area saying they have been changing names.

"Earlier there was a company by the name of Mantra Resource, which became
Mantra Tanzania and now we have Mantra Resource Tanzania Limited. We don't exactly know how they changed from the first to the third," she said, adding: "How is it possible for a company to use three names in one contract?"

Sakaya said they have established that the company was exploring minerals in other parts of the reserve, an indication that it might expand operations if it finds out that uranium exists elsewhere in the reserve.

She said the company was given 3250 sq kms of exploration, but it applied for another 300 square kms for which they have done prospecting. They are now looking for a licence to get 100 sq kms.

"It is possible they have many areas in the reserve and they can in future mine in a bigger place destroying the ecology of the reserve," she said.
"We want the government to study the situation and consider monitoring the mining," she said.

Kibaha MP Sylivestor Koka said there is a feeling that the project will destroy the reserve's ecology, but added that the area which they have taken was small contrary to what people think.

"We better utilize the natural resources we have for the development of this country and its people rather than being mocked at by foreigners that we have not used what God has given us," he said.

Natural Resources and Tourism ministry permanent secretary Tarish Maimuna Kibenga said the project was transparent and they have tried to educate the public about it.

Kibenga said the sector was facing a lot of challenges. She told the MPs that the project was being implemented within the set legal procedures and that the government is preparing regulations to help protect the environment.

For his part, Mantra Tanzania Limited country director Assah Mwaipopo said the government believes that the development of the proposed mining operation is of strategic importance to the nation and its development programme.

He said exploitation of the deposits would promote Tanzania to the position of the eighth largest uranium producer in the world and third largest in Africa based on 2009 production figures.


SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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BAADA YA KADHIA YA MISURURU YA UFISADI KATIKA UWEKEZAJI KATIKA SEKTA NA RASILMALI ZA UMMA, SASA NI VEMA WADAU MBALIMBALI KUKAA NA KUTOA MUONGOZO WA JUMLA KITAIFA NA USIMAMIAJI WAKE NA WADAU NJE YA SERIKALI

Baada ya shutuma nyingi sana za UFISADI katika mambo ya uvunaji wa rasilmali zetu kupita kiasi, kughubikwa na USIRI kwa wachache na uundwaji wa mikataba mibovu kila kukicha, ni vema hivi sasa kila uwekezaji ama kwa umeme, gesi, wanyama pori au madini yakajibu vigezo kadha vikiwemo:

1. Wa-Tanzania watanufaika vipi MOJA KWA MOJA kutoka na uvunaji wa rasilmali zetu husika (manufaa ya sasa, ya kipindi cha kati, na kipindi cha muda mrefu kwa taifa letu)?

2. Wadau wa sekta nzima wamehusishwa kwa viwango gani katika kupitisha mkataba wa uwekezaji husika?

3. Wataalam wa kuanda mkataba na mchakato mzima umeendeshwa vipi (uwazi wa milango ya kusitisha, kuboresha au kuuvunja mkataba)?

4. Maoni ya kitaalam kutoka kwa taasisi huru juu ya uwekezaji na mambo ya msingi ya kuzingatia?

5. Faida kwa jamii itokanayo na eneo la kufanyika uwekezaji umewekwa vipi?

6. Ushikishwaji wa wazi wa wadau wote wa sekta husika juu ya upatikanaji wa mwekezaji / wawekezji.

7. Nafasi na vipaumbele kwa wawekezaji wazawa imezingatiwa vipi?

8. Nafasi ya asasi za kiraia na vyombo vya habari katika nchi.

9. Mikataba yote kuhusu uwekezaji NDANI YA MIPAKA YETU YA Tanzania kwanza zifungwe kwa kuzingatia sera na sheria zetu hivyo sera na sheria za kimataifa ziwe tu ni ziada tu katika mchakato mzima MPAKA PALE TU AMBAPO NI WAZI KWAMBA MISINGI YETU YA UTAWALA WA KISHERIA imedhihirika kuleta tija kwa washiriki wa mkataba husika.

10. Vigezo vya wazi juu ya ulipaji kodi.

11. Nafasi na ajira muhimu kwa Wa-Tanzania.

NB: Hatutaki Kupatwa na kitu ufisadi NA MISTUKO YA MARA KWA MARA tena INAYOTUGEUZA kuwa TAIFA LA WALALAMIKAJI kuhusu miradi na au uwekezaji wowote katika mali ya umma hivyo USIRI NA KUTEMBEA NA MUHURI WA TAIFA MFUKONI bila vigezo maalum ikiwa ni pamoja na vigezo hivyo hapo juu iwe ni sababu tosha kwa Mtanzania yeyote yule, wanajamii na au taasisi kuweza kusukumwa kutafuta kusitishwa kwa mkataba husika.