Getting ready for mining

By all accounts mining is likely to play an important role in the future of the Malawi economy. This month Malawi will export its first uranium. And only last week there were reports that a South African company is investing US$10 million in a bankable feasibility study that should see Malawi exporting Niobium by 2012 READ MORE.

Government unpreparedness for the Kayelekera was scandalous. A recent report indicates the area is still poorly served in terms of infrastructure: “The narrow, winding road to Kayelekera is mostly unsealed, crossing the North Rukuru and Sere Rivers as it makes its narrow, winding way past numerous scattered villages hugging its edges.” READ MORE. The population in the area has increased dramatically but there are no government social facilities. A doctor comes once a week from Chitipa. According to the Minister Mr. Malunga the government expects the mine to provide the social services.

Although we know that several major mining undertakings are in the pipeline we still have made no visible efforts to build local capacity in form of training local staff in mining engineering.

We have no excuse for being unprepared in the Kanyika and other cases in the pipeline. And we now have a competent man at the helm – Mr. Malunga. He should be able to argue for more resources to a Ministry which will be in charge of a major source of state revenues.