By Grace Bariyo
Op_Ed
The Government of Uganda recently suspended the issuance of new mineral licenses, permits and authorizations for one month. The temporary halt is intended to allow the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to review the sector, address regulatory gaps and ensure that the licensing framework aligns with the Government’s strategic and policy direction. Uganda Media Centre
According to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Dr Monica Musenero Masanza, the review is also intended to eliminate speculative mineral claims, strengthen oversight and attract credible investors capable of developing Uganda’s mineral resources responsibly.
This intervention is timely. Mineral licensing is not merely an administrative process. It determines who obtains access to Uganda’s natural resources, how those resources are exploited and whether mining contributes meaningfully to the country’s development.
As of June 30, 2026, the Ministry had issued 212 prospecting licenses, 497 exploration licenses, five large-scale mining licenses, 38 medium-scale mining licenses and 18 small-scale mining licenses, including three artisanal mining license New Vision
Uganda possesses significant deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, rare earth elements and other minerals, particularly in the western and eastern regions. With global demand for critical minerals increasing because of the transition to renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, Uganda is positioning itself alongside mineral-rich countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Tanzania.
The Government also seeks to discourage the exportation of unprocessed minerals and promote domestic processing, value addition and industrialization. These ambitions form part of Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims at expanding the economy to approximately US$500 billion by 2040.
However, the pursuit of mineral wealth must not overshadow the serious human rights, environmental and social risks associated with extraction.
Development must not lead to displacement
Large-scale mining requires land, infrastructure, water and energy. If poorly managed, it can result in forced displacement, destruction of homes and gardens, deforestation, wetland degradation, air and water pollution, loss of livestock and long-term damage to ecosystems.
Communities living in mineral-rich areas are often the first to bear these costs but the last to benefit from the resulting revenues. In many cases, affected people receive inadequate information about proposed projects, valuation processes, compensation arrangements or relocation timelines. Some families are displaced before receiving fair and adequate compensation or before suitable resettlement arrangements have been made.
Women are particularly affected. In many rural communities, women depend on land, forests and water sources for food production, household income and family care. Yet they frequently lack legal ownership of the land and are excluded from negotiations concerning compensation and resettlement.
When land is acquired, compensation may be paid to male household heads even where women were the primary users of that land. Displacement can therefore leave women without livelihoods, shelter or control over the resources intended to support their families.
Mining developments may also increase the risks of sexual exploitation, gender-based violence, child abuse and other forms of insecurity. Women and girls who attempt to defend their land or challenge unfair compensation may face intimidation, harassment and exclusion from decision-making.
Experiences from communities affected by petroleum developments in the Albertine region provide important lessons. Residents have reported land disputes, inadequate compensation, intimidation, arrests and detention. Allegations of serious human rights violations remain before courts of law and other responsible institutions. These experiences demonstrate why Uganda must establish strong safeguards before expanding mineral extraction.
Communities must be partners, not obstacles
The Government’s review of the licensing framework should go beyond identifying speculative license holders and attracting investors. It should examine whether Uganda’s mining governance system adequately protects communities, women, Indigenous Peoples and the environment.
A mineral license should not be granted solely because an investor possesses financial and technical capacity. Applicants should also demonstrate a credible record of respecting human rights, protecting the environment, consulting communities and preventing corruption.
Communities must be consulted from the earliest stages of a proposed mining project. Consultation should be meaningful, inclusive and conducted in languages and formats that local people understand. It should not be reduced to meetings held after the most important decisions have already been made.
Affected people must receive clear and timely information about the size and duration of projects, land requirements, environmental risks, employment opportunities, compensation procedures, grievance mechanisms and proposed resettlement areas. They must also be given sufficient time and access to independent legal and technical advice before signing compensation or land-acquisition agreements.
Women, young people, persons with disabilities and other groups that are frequently excluded must be deliberately included in these processes.
Mineral revenues must benefit mining communities
Uganda’s mineral resources should contribute to improved living standards, particularly in the areas where extraction takes place. Mining revenues should be transparently collected, managed and invested in healthcare, education, sanitation, clean water, roads and other essential services.
Communities should be able to see and experience the benefits arising from the resources extracted from their land. Without transparency and equitable benefit-sharing, mineral development may deepen poverty, inequality and conflict instead of promoting national transformation.
Before approving any major mining project, the Government should require comprehensive and independent environmental, social, human rights and public health impact assessments. These assessments must examine the cumulative effects of mining on communities, water sources, forests, wetlands, biodiversity, food security and public healthnot simply the impact of an individual project in isolation.
The assessments should be publicly accessible, independently reviewed and subject to meaningful community participation. Strong monitoring and enforcement mechanisms must also be established to ensure that investors comply with their obligations throughout the life of a project and after a mine closes.
The temporary suspension of new mineral licenses gives Uganda an important opportunity to reconsider how the sector is governed. The review should result in a licensing system that promotes responsible investment while protecting people, land and the environment.
Uganda’s mineral wealth may contribute significantly to industrialization and economic growth. But genuine development cannot be measured only by export earnings, processing plants or the number of licenses granted. It must also be measured by whether communities retain their dignity, livelihoods, health, safety and right to participate in decisions affecting their future.
The writer is a programs assistant at Liberty probono Initiative(LPI).
