Tag Archives: Mulanje mountain’s Chambe Plateau

Environment, Malawi

CDEDI unhappy with Mulanje Council’s backtrack on mining all-inclusive stakeholders meeting

Maravi Post Author

By IOMMIE CHIWALO

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Mulanje District Council has rescinded its decision to hold an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting scheduled for December 28, 2023, citing several reasons for the postponement.

In a letter that we have seen and signed by District Commissioner David Kayiwonanga Gondwe, the decision has been arrived at because there are a few stumbling blocks for the council to proceed as per the plan.

Gondwe states, that among the reasons warranting rescheduling, is that Ministry officials from both Forest and Mines departments at a national level are on a festive season holiday.

“These officials are very key in this matter as mining issues are not in the purview of Mulanje District Council. Secondly, efforts have been made to get in touch with the authorities of Akatswiri Company but proved futile. Our wish is that they should be available during this important meeting,” said Gondwe.

He adds that currently, the district council is operating on a skeleton staff at the secretariat because of the festive holiday including unavailability of key Directors and Sector Heads.

“This scenario would make it difficult to provide the much-needed logistical support to local leaders and other important members of the community.

The call for an inclusive meeting is initiated by the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) in collaboration with the Tourism Association of Mulanje Mountain, Friends of Mulanje, Tour Guides and Porters Association, and communities.

Reacting to rescheduling for the meeting CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa says the feedback from the DC for Mulanje District is strange considering that it was he (the DC) who set the date and now he is changing tunes.

He however said that the reasons given are valid and that being the case, the concerned stakeholders will patiently wait for the communication soon after the end of the the festive holidays.

“Nonetheless, we would like to reaffirm our stand that we won’t relent until Mount Mulanje is saved from the miners. We will do all we can with the realm of the law to protect and preserve this national, continental, and global pride which UNESCO designated as a heritage site owing to its being a home to unique plant and animal biodiversity. We expect the date to be set on the very first day in office. Any further delays won’t help matters,” he said.

Apart from water supplied to Mulanje, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, and Blantyre districts, the mountain provides direct jobs to 600-plus porters and guides, 65 tourism facility operators that have provided over 30, 000 jobs in the hospitality industry, with multi-billion kwacha investments that will turn into white elephants should the mountain cease to be tourist attraction due to health-related hazards stemming from mining activities.

CDEDI Chief has since highlighted that accepting mining in the mountain will mean incurring losses in billions of Kwacha through taxes both at local and central government levels.

The recent attack on Mt. Mulanje has sent shock waves to communities in Mulanje and Phalombe districts as they are reminded of the fatal effects of water gushing out of rocks that were unprovoked, hence they cannot condone any apparent provocation of danger through drilling that will weaken further the structure of the mountain, change courses of water, thereby leading to more flash floods that have the potential to wipe out humans, animals and crops as was the case with Cyclone Freddy.

However, on progress in ensuring cooperation with the concerned stakeholders, DC Gondwe has tipped that his team is finalizing the Field Inspection Report generated from the Chambe site as per management instructions to ascertain the prevailing claims.

He briefs that the team confirmed with management that Akatswiri Mines Personnel had since left the Site last week on Wednesday the 20th and demobilized.

“Be assured that as a council we are equally taking this issue with utmost seriousness and urgency,” he said while expressing that it remains his wish to have it conducted immediately after the festive holiday for Civil Servants.

Business, Environment

Mulanje DC Gondwe nods to CDEDI call up on Chambe Plateau’s Akatswiri Mineral extraction

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Mulanje District Commissioner David Gondwe has accepted Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), Friends of Mulanje, Tourism Association of Mount Mulanje (TAMM), Tour Guides and Porters’ Association call up meeting to assess concerns raised on Akatswiri Mineral Resources’ extraction activities at Chambe Plateau in Mulanje Mountain.

DC Gondwe call up meeting comes barely days after CDEDI and others pressed hard on Akatswiri Mineral’ activities without involving communities.

CDEDI and other concerned groups want Akatswiri mining licence be removed for illegal extraction activities at Chambe Plateau.

But in his response letter dated December 20, 2023, DC Gondwe calls for inclusive stakeholders meeting slated for December 28 at his chambers.

“Reference is made to the above captioned subject contained in your letter dated 18 December, 2023 in which you are seeking an emergency all inclusive stakeholders meeting to discuss concerns relating to mineral exploration by Akatswin Mineral Resources at Chambe Plateau in Mulanje Mountain

“I wish to communicate that the request to convene an all-inclusive stakeholder meeting is well noted however take note that the Council is arranging to have this meeting take place on 28 December 2023 at Mulanje District Council Chamber and a formal invitation will be communicated soon, ” reads DC Gondwe’s letter in part.

On Tuesday, CDEDI executive Director Sylvester Namiwa observed that Akaswiri Mining Company’s misconduct is unacceptable in conserving natural resources such as Mulanje Mountain.

“CDEDI is hereby informing the people of Mulanje District, and the nation at large, that we have engaged Mulanje District Commissioner (DC) Mr. David Gondwe and demanded an immediate withdrawal of Akaswiri Mining Company from Mulanje Mountain, and urgently call for all-inclusive stakeholders meeting to discuss matters of mining in this mountain before the situation gets out of hand.

“We have embarked on this course having received information that various stakeholders are seething with rage in total disbelief that Akaswiri Mining Company has descended on the Chambe Plateau and is carrying out mining-related activities without engaging the communities who are key stakeholders to this national, continental and world pride”, says Namiwa.

Ministry of mines is yet to respond on the matter also.

Environment, Malawi

CDEDI, porters, tourism associations demand swift Akaswiri mining licence’ revocation on Mount Mulanje’s bauxite extraction

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), in collaboration with Friends of Mulanje, Tourism Association of Mount Mulanje (TAMM), Tour Guides and Porters’ Association and concerned groups and individuals is demanding immediate withdrawal of Akaswiri Mining Company licence from extracting bauxite minerals Mulanje mountain’s Chambe Plateau.

The demand comes after the Akaswiri Mining Company embarked on extraction activities without engaging the communities with fears that the resources will be abused to the firm’s advantage.

Addressing the news conference on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, CDEDI executive Director Sylvester Namiwa observed that Akaswiri Mining Company’s misconduct is unacceptable in conserving natural resources such as Mulanje Mountain.

“CDEDI is hereby informing the people of Mulanje District, and the nation at large, that we have engaged Mulanje District Commissioner (DC) Mr. David Gondwe and demanded an immediate withdrawal of Akaswiri Mining Company from Mulanje Mountain, and urgently call for all-inclusive stakeholders meeting to discuss matters of mining in this mountain before the situation gets out of hand.

“We have embarked on this course having received information that various stakeholders are seething with rage in total disbelief that Akaswiri Mining Company has descended on the Chambe Plateau and is carrying out mining-related activities without engaging the communities who are key stakeholders to this national, continental and world pride”, says Namiwa.

He adds, “In reaction to the above, over 20 village and group village heads in Traditional Authorities Mkanda and Mabuka, bordering the Lichenya and Likhubula basins that make up the Chambe Plateau, convened an emergency meeting that mandated the aforementioned organizations and groups to lead in rescuing Mt. Mulanje from destruction through, among others, the kind of activities Akaswiri Mining. Company is alleged to be doing.

“Thus far, we have petitioned the DC to do the needful by Thursday, December 21, 2023. Malawians may wish to know that Akaswiri Mining Company descended on the mountain on November 28, 2023, following a purported extra-ordinary District Council meeting held on April 20, 2023, which reportedly approved the mining activities”.

Namiwa explains further, “The company’s action was in total disregard of the fact that besides being a cultural and historic natural resource, Mt. Mulanje is a UNESCO-designated heritage site, which is also a catchment area of water bodies and important rivers supplying water to people in Mulanje, Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Thyolo and Blantyre through Blantyre and Southern Region water boards.

“Over and above that, bauxite, one of the earmarked minerals at Lichenya Plateau, is toxic. This simply means that mining in this mountain will lead to contamination”.

He observes, “Furthermore, Mt. Mulanje is home to the highest number of unique plant and animal biodiversity in Africa; therefore, by any standard and measure, it is a global treasure that as citizens, we must be proud of and jealously guard against any form of harm.

“Given the above, and in line with the spirit of Section 12 of the Republican Constitution, which hinges on trust, transparency, and accountability, and more importantly, demands those exercising legal and political authority to make decisions, to serve and protect people’s interests solely, we are calling upon the DC to make public all relevant documents that culminated into granting of mining license (s) by the Ministry of Forestry and Climate Change, and not the responsible Ministry of Mining, as expected.”

The joint statement adds, “Subsequently, as a people proud of their treasure, all purported licences should be revoked forthwith since mining is not an option on Mt. Mulanje. Apart from water supplied to Mulanje, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, and Blantyre districts, the mountain provides direct jobs to 600-plus porters and guides.

“These 65 tourism facility operators have provided over 30,000 jobs in the hospitality industry, with multi-billion kwacha investments that will turn into white elephants should the mountain cease to be a tourist attraction due to health-related hazards stemming from mining activities. That is, to say the least losses in billions of kwacha taxes both local and central governments would incur”.

Concludes the statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director, TAMM Chairperson, Friends of Mulanje Chairperson and Porters and Guides Association Chairperson Namiwa, Willard Mahata, Ken Chilewe, and Olivery Ordry respectively, “The recent attack on Mt. Mulanje has sent shock waves to communities in Mulanje and Phalombe districts as they are reminded of the fatal effects of water gushing out of rocks that were unprovoked, hence they cannot condone any apparent provocation of danger through drilling that will weaken further the structure of the mountain, change courses of water, thereby leading to more flash floods that have the potential to wipe out humans, animals, and crops as was the case with Cyclone Freddy”.

Akaswiri Mining Company is yet to comment on the matter.