By Luke Kagiri

On a sunny morning, as other children run to school, Erisa Ssebandeke, 15, is already at work. By 8:00am, Ssebandeke, a P5 drop-out, is guarding 20 motorcycles at a fee of sh1,000 per hour for each bike.

Every five minutes, another bike arrives, while one leaves. Ssebandeke’s work station is a small path where thousands of people pass.

Adjacent to this place, is a hill dotted with huts and different noises from machines. This is Kitabona mines, in Kitumbi sub-county, Mubende district where thousands flock each day, to engage in gold mining and selling.

FINDING THE MINES

In Bukuya town, the biggest trading center near the mines, all the boda boda cyclists have a different name for these mines, the commonest name being Lugongwe which is the bigger village, covering other villages like Kitabona and Lujinji, where the mines are.

The road to Lugongwe, and to the rest of the places in Kitumbi, are the poorest in Mubende district. As I embark on the 80km-journey from Mityana town, a boda boda cyclist charges me sh50,000.

According to him, it is a fair price because he charges people from Kampala a higher price.

I learn that there are many people coming to these mines every day from different places and the transport business in booming.

AT THE MINES

On arrival at Lugongwe, we left the bike with Ssebandeke. “Do not mind, this has been my work for the past two months, and I have never lost any vehicle,” he informs us.true

But given his age and size, I ask him why he no longer goes to school but his answer is not clear. “I have to work here, and I get enough money,” he says.

The bikes are left at this point because the small path that leads to the mines is rocky. The mines are about half-a-kilometre from this spot.

As I enter the mines, about five people gather around me, asking what I want. “You need gold, I have some points, how many do you want and what is your price?” one of them asks me.

But the other intervenes and yells at me: “If you have come to investigate our business, you are dead, you better leave now.”
An elderly person, Joseph Bukenya, whom I later learn is a parish counsellor, comes to my rescue, and shields me from the ‘miners’.

GETTING GOLD

In these mines are miners,those who get other crude minerals, processors and buyers. Others deal in food vending and other merchandise.

Gold is mined from deep pits — up to 80 feet. In some cases, gold diggers use machines. Each trader or miner gets his own area.

The process of getting gold starts with pounding or grinding of the rock ore (below). If it is not dry enough, it is exposed to sunshine.

Later, the product is mixed with water. The gold particles will float to the top. This is done with basins which are also sold in the camp. Out of a basin of crude ore, only one point of gold (size of a pill) can be got.true

BUYING AND COSTING

At Kitabona village are two mines, both atop the hill, adjacent to each other. At the entrance of each camp are the gold dealers, with cash in hand.

Each also has a weighting scale to estimate the weight of the gold and whether it is genuine.

One of them, only identified as Haji Ali, says he has camped here for two months, leaving for Kampala once in a while, to take gold and pick more money.

Edward Ssempala, another dealer from Kampala, leans against his car and says: “The gold business is unique, not everybody can deal in it. We are taking a risk, but there are registered companies which have started intervening, also buying at a higher price. So the private dealers are being forced out of business.”

Gold is weighted and sold in grams, points and tollers. Ten points make one gram, while 10 grams make one toller.
At the camp, a point costs sh10,000 while a gram costs between sh80,000 and 100,000.

Ssempala says sometimes the gold is not so pure and the percentage is low, so the buyer will lower the price.

CASHING IN ON THE BOOM

The day I visit these mines, some of the traders and sub-county leaders are gathering in another village, Bujaayu in Kamusene parish, for the burial of a village leader, Tom Kalule, who died when the mine he was working in collapsed on him.

The local leaders’ gold mine was about seven feet deep. “We raised about sh8m, which we paid to the one of miners narrates. But death has not discouraged people from cashing in on this gold boom.

“I have been a model farmer and village leader, but this season, I am only taking care of my bar at the camp. The amount of money I earn here cannot be compared to what I earn fom farming,” Yawe Birimumaaso says.

Ibrahim Ssenfuma, a boda boda cyclist, says before he went to the mines, he used to earn between sh15,000 and 30,000, but now he earns a minimum of sh70,000.

“Every day, I fetch a minimum of 30 jerry cans of water, out of which I get over sh70,000. After two months, I was able to pay my debts, and even take my brothers back to school,” Ssenfuma says.

POOR SANITATION

There are over 2,000 people in this area, but there is no pit latrine, they ease themselves in the bush. Garbage is also disposed of carelessly.

“If the Government can help to construct latrines, it may save these people, they tried but failed because the hill is rocky,” Bukenya says.

COST OF LIVING

*The cost of living is as high as that in Kampala. A plate of food costs between sh4,000 and 6,000, while a jerrycan of water costs sh3,000.

*A batch of firewood is sh5,000.

*A bottle of soda and water costs up to sh1,500 while a bottle of beer is sh3,500.
Civil servants, especially primary school teachers, are quitting their jobs to cash in on the gold boom.

* Boda boda cyclists are also moving to nearby towns near the mines, like Kassanda, Mityana and Bukuya to earn big from the mines.

Vote Babirye Daphine and Nakato Daniella in the Twins Festival

This is a submission from Babirye Daphine and Nakato Daniella. Vote by commenting on this video, share with others to vote for these twins.

Vote Babirye Daphine and Nakato Daniella in the Twins Festival

Tags: