MANGOCHI-(MaraviPost)-Communities along Unga River in Mangochi have expressed fear over the influx of illegal migrants in the area where illegal gold mining activities are taking place.
According to Group Village Headman Saiti Mwazungu of the area of Traditional Authority, (T.A) TMakanjira who was speaking after journalists visited the area on Thursday, most buyers are from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Burundi and Rwanda.
The chief says the development is compromising security in the area.
Officer-in-charge for Makanjira Police Frank Matiki said his office is monitoring the situation.
“The buyers were chased out some months ago; others were arrested.
We have just realized that they have reappeared after the rains as it is said that is when people now find more deposits,” he said.
Programmes officer for governance and human rights at the development arm of Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi, organizers of the media tour, Bisiwasi Ishmael, said with a sizeable circulation of money in the area than before, the issue of unprotected transaction of sexual activities cannot be ruled out.
“Miners were always elusive when approached and only appear in the afternoon or evening,” he said.
The mining activities in the area started around March 2017, turning agriculture fields into mining fields and encroaching into the protected Namizimu forest reserve.
