Muntu promises tin processing factory, jobs for artisanal miners in Ruhaama

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Presidential candidate Maj. Gen. (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu has promised to establish a tin processing factory in Ruhaama county, Ntungamo district, to benefit artisanal miners.

Muntu, who is on the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party ticket, says the pledge aims to create jobs and boost the local economy, which has long relied on small-scale tin mining, with the local population selling unprocessed raw materials fetching low prices.

Ruhaama's tin mining industry has been a lifeline for over 20,000 people, with many households depending on the trade for income. However, miners face challenges, including low prices, lack of equipment, and safety risks.

Addressing a campaign rally at Ruhaama trading centre, Ruhaama sub-county, Ruhaama county on December 22, 2025, Muntu promised to revolutionise the mining sector, help locals secure shares from the foreign mining companies and create a fund to help artisanal miners acquire the equipment to do surface mining.

“The proposed factory will add value to the tin, increasing earnings for miners and generating revenue for the local government. We want to curb illegal mining where the foreign companies are competing with the locals to do opencast mining,” he said.

"Under the ANT government, we shall withdraw all the mining licences from foreign companies engaged in surface mining with the locals and licence only those who dig one kilometre deep into the ground to engage the locals to benefit from their resources," he added.

Presidential candidate Maj. Gen. (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Ruhaama county residents listening to Muntu. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Muntu addressing voters at his campaign rally. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Muntu's promise aligns with efforts to formalise Uganda's artisanal mining sector, which employs millions nationwide.

“Currently, much of Uganda's tin is sold informally, depriving the government of royalties. A processing facility would ensure regulated trade and increased revenue. Tin ore mined in areas like Mwerasandu and Ruhaama, is often exported through neighbouring countries like Rwanda for processing because Uganda has lacked the necessary mineral certification tags and processing infrastructure,” he said.

Mwerasandu, a major tin mining site in Rwamwire parish, Ruhaama sub-county, where thousands of artisanal miners operate, has supported the local communities with jobs which have lifted people out of poverty.

Protect environment (Ban Kaveera)

Muntu urged Ugandans to protect the environment by banning ‘kaveera,’ a type of plastic polythene bag. Muntu emphasised the need for sustainable practices to preserve Uganda's natural resources.

Muntu highlighted the environmental damage caused by kaveera, including pollution and harm to wildlife. He called for collective action to promote eco-friendly alternatives and ensure a healthier environment for future generations.

“We must take responsibility for our environment,” Muntu said. “Banning kaveera is a step towards a cleaner, greener Uganda, and we shall enforce it when elected.”

Muntu insisted that Uganda’s water resources and environmental challenges demand urgent and smart action to protect the planet, with overpopulation demands stressing natural resources.

“When you elect me on January 15, 2025, the ANT government will use innovative technologies to deliver water where it is needed, and manage fragile ecosystems with data-driven decisions,” he noted.

We seek to introduce modern waste management measures to prevent disasters like what happened recently with the Kiteezi garbage dumping site in Wakiso district, where many perished as a result of negligence.