Business thriving in Mubende gold mining camps

Oct 27, 2016

Innocent Sabiiti moved from Kanungu to cash in on the proceeds from the gold rushers

From a distance, the gold mining camp in Bukuya, Mubende district looks like a run-down refugee settlement.

Move closer to the camp and you will be amazed at the vibrancy of activity. As one batch of artisanal and small scale miners go about their business, another takes a breather in a bar, drinking away their favorite beer.

Just like the temporary shelters people have in this camp, the businesses too operate in improvised premises. Not that they really mind it, the business is booming. As trade in gold from the district increase, businesses too are thriving.

Innocent Sabiiti moved from Kanungu to cash in on the proceeds from the gold rushers. In the three months he has been at the camp selling beer and soda, he says business is flourishing.

 andera waits for customers at his hardware shop in the gold mining camp in ukuya hoto by illy wothungeyo Wandera waits for customers at his hardware shop in the gold mining camp in Bukuya (Photo by Billy Rwothungeyo).

 

He sells more than 100 crates of beers in a week, and he sells 140 crates of sodas in a week. He gets his merchandise from Kiboga and Mityana

Sabiiti says the Peak time for his business are towards the weekend, as many miners look to have a much needed rest from a week's hard work of digging through the ground.

"Most of the orders I get are on Friday. The retailers who buy from me then sell the beers and sodas over the weekend,

However, he rues the lack of adequate toilet facilities in the camp

"The toilets are few, and that is why it is expensive to use them. To ease yourself, you pay sh500," he says.

Wandera Frederick, who hails from Busia has also not been at camp for long. He has been running his small hardware business in the camp for six months, and he already loves life in Mubende.

 "As more people come into the camp, they need to put up tents. So my business is thriving, they come and buy from nails and other materials to put up their tents,"

Gold in Uganda is mainly mined in the districts of Mubende, Namayingo, Busia, Buhweju among others. It is estimated that there are about 50,000 artisanal gold miners in Uganda.

Since artisanal miners operate illegally, it is not clear how much gold they produce, however estimates put the figure as high as 2.8 tonnes of gold per year.

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