Parliament calls for stronger measures to curb illegal mining in Rwanda

By The Inspirer.

Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies has called for urgent and sustainable action to address illegal mining, citing threats to public safety, the environment, and farmland.

The call came during a parliamentary session where the committee on foreign affairs and security presented a report on illegal mineral extraction and theft.

The report highlighted how unauthorized mining continues to disrupt communities and compromise security.

Rising cases of illegal mining

Committee chair Deputy Tumukunde Hope Gasatura revealed that between 2020 and 2025, authorities recorded 1,335 cases of illegal mining. Much of the activity occurs on private farmland, rivers, state forests, abandoned quarries, and previously exploited mining sites that remain unrehabilitated.

Deputy Gasatura said illegal mining not only damages farmland but also harms the wider environment. “Factors driving illegal mining include growing demand for minerals, informal trade, traditional knowledge of mineral-rich areas, unregulated mining in licensed zones, and youth engagement driven by financial incentives,” he noted.

Other contributing factors include inadequate security in mining companies, minerals located on residents’ land, complicity of some local leaders, delayed licensing, and poor monitoring of pits. Some miners sell illegally mined minerals directly to buyers, bypassing Rwanda Mining Board regulations, while many companies pay workers based solely on output without using the monitoring system, IMS Inkomane.

Proposed solutions

Deputy Gasatura recommended stricter prosecution of offenders, enhanced security at mining sites, faster issuance of licenses, and the creation of a mining chamber under the Private Sector Federation to coordinate licensed operators.

He warned that unrehabilitated pits pose risks of landslides, accidents, and fatalities, noting that 994 old pits remain unmonitored nationwide.

Deputy Niyorurema Jean Rene urged speeding up license issuance to reduce illegal operations. Deputy Uwamahoro stressed the need to block markets for illegally mined minerals, asking how the supply chain could be monitored to ensure only licensed minerals reach buyers.

Deputy Mukabunani Christine called for a mining chamber for licensed operators to help curb illegal extraction. Deputy Kanyandekwe Christine emphasized that efforts to fight illegal mining must also ensure the safety and health of miners, protecting them from respiratory diseases and workplace accidents.

Government action urged

The Chamber of Deputies directed the Ministry of Local Government to strengthen district mining task forces and improve monitoring of mining operations. It also urged the Rwanda Development Board to fast-track mining licenses, enforce mining contracts, curb unlicensed subcontractors, and fully utilize the IMS Inkomane system to track mining activities.

The parliamentary recommendations aim to strengthen oversight, protect communities, and ensure Rwanda’s mining sector operates safely and sustainably.