Kapiri Mposhi mine accessed of endangering residents during blasting

Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Francis Hasalama has urged the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development to review mining operations and license for Moyo Farms which is currently conducting ore blasting.

Mr Hasalama observed that the firm with an initial license to extract only building sand and gravel is using blasting mining method, allegedly for other minerals, thereby endangering lives of people from blasting flying fragment rock materials in four surrounding villages in Kakulu area of Chief Chipepo’s chiefdom.

Central Province Minister Credo Nanjuwa had recently suspended operations at the quarry mine following safety concerns from surrounding communities.

Mr Nanjuwa who visited the mining site had ordered the company to stop its blasting mining operations to protect lives from surrounding villages from blasting fragment rock materials flying up to their homes about 100 meters away from the mine.

In addition, Mr Hasalama advised Moyo Farms management to avail a valid mine license permitting them to use landmines to conduct mining activities in the area.

The District Commissioner was speaking when Moyo Farms Director Dalitso Moyo visited his office to plead for the re-opening of the mine Mr Hasalama insisted that government will not allow resumption of operations at the firm until it provides sufficient safety measures and avail government its valid mining and blasting license.

“Government may be losing out on revenue because we don’t know what you are mining and again the people in these villages are not safe from you blasting so the Ministry of Mines needs to conduct a review of your operations before we allow you to resume working,” Mr Hasalama said.

And Moyo Farms Corporate Communications consultant Wilson Pondamali assured that the company will implement safety considerations at the mine.

“We will take responsibility for safety in the next episode to address safety issues. I think we have not done so well especially after commencing blasting and we shall embark on community engagement meetings with surrounding villages,” Mr Pondamali said.