President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has cautioned iron ore miners and landowners in the Kigezi Sub region against assuming ownership of mineral resources, stressing that all minerals in Uganda belong to the government.
While presiding over the 45th Tarehe Sita anniversary celebrations at the former Kabale National Teachers’ College (NTC) grounds in Kabale District last week, President Museveni said that whereas individuals may own land, iron ore deposits beneath it are government property.
The President noted that affected landowners will be compensated in line with the law and urged residents to adhere to Section 9 of the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022, which vests ownership of all minerals in the Government of Uganda.
Museveni highlighted that the Kigezi sub-region is endowed with world-class mineral resources, particularly iron ore deposits found in Rubanda District (Muko), Butogota in Kanungu District, and surrounding areas. He said the iron ore in the region belongs to the hematite class, describing it as among the highest-quality iron ore globally.
“There is no other iron ore of higher quality in the world,” Museveni said, explaining that this is why government plans to invest heavily in the area.
He revealed plans to construct a factory in the region to upgrade surface iron ore to about 62 percent iron content. “For this, I need land immediately, not storage facilities, but land. I have already communicated the required land to the relevant authorities,” the President said.
However, Museveni explained that iron ore alone cannot produce steel, noting that steel manufacturing requires coal and other inputs, most of which will be sourced from outside the region, as well as reliable infrastructure such as railways.
For this reason, he said, the main steel production factory will be located in Tororo, where logistical requirements can be met. Under the arrangement, mining and upgrading of iron ore will take place in the Kigezi region, while final steel production will be done in Tororo.
The President said the integrated approach, linking mining, manufacturing and other sectors, is key to Uganda’s long-term economic transformation.
With iron ore reserves estimated at about 500 million tonnes, Museveni noted that even using one million tonnes annually would take about 500 years to exhaust the deposits, underscoring the country’s vast mineral wealth.
In addition to iron ore, he added that the region also hosts other valuable minerals, including coltan and other precious resources.
CUE IN PRESIDENT MUSEVENI….ON IRON ORE….RR/ENG//
