Large heaps of earth greet first-time visitors to the gold mining regions of Kitumbi, Bukuya, and Makokoto sub-counties in Kassanda District.
These piles, made up of mine waste, are believed to contain traces of toxic mercury, posing serious risks to both human health and the environment.
Residents living near the Kitumbi gold mines, where artisanal miners are most concentrated, say sections of this waste are washed into nearby water sources used for domestic purposes.
‘We live a compromised life because of the toxic waste material deposits that contain mercury. It finds its way into our water sources and the crops grown in the wetlands. As a community, we remain helpless,’ said Mr Abdul Ssekamatte, an artisanal miner from Kitumbi Sub-county, during an interview last week.
The towering mounds of mine waste, some rising between five and 15 metres high, are scarred by deep gullies formed by rainwater runoff. Conservationists and health experts warn that this runoff often carries toxic residues into wetlands and other water bodies, posing a threat to ecosystems and public health.
Ms Alice Nateme Kisambira, a conservationist with the Nature Redemption Awareness Initiative, an organisation engaged in tree-planting and environmental awareness in Mubende and Kassanda districts, said the waste will remain hazardous unless artisanal miners stop using mercury. ‘The huge mounds of waste would not be such a big issue if they didn’t contain toxic metals.
The real danger is the silent killer, mercury residue. The focus should be on how to minimise or eliminate mercury use in mining,’ Ms Kisambira told the Daily Monitor. In Bukoba B Village, Kitumbi Sub-county, where much of the waste is piled, residents said the soil is infertile and unsuitable for cultivation.
‘We don’t own the mines and lack the capacity to make any intervention,’ a resident who sought anonymity, said.
Ms Edith Nakalaawa, a resident of Bikoba B Village, appealed for government support to purify potentially contaminated water sources.
‘We’ve been told that mercury can find its way into our water. We need help to ensure it is purified before it reaches our homes,’ she said.
The Kassanda District Chairperson, Mr Fred Kasirye Zimula expressed cautious optimism about ongoing discussions among key government agencies, including the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and the Ministry of Energy, aimed at ending mercury use in mining.
‘Our district’s ability to intervene is limited to community awareness. The government must take the lead. Lives both within and beyond the mining areas are at high risk,’ Mr Zimula said.
Ms Agnes Tebandeke Bwanga, an artisanal miner with the Kitumbi-Kayonza Mining Association, revealed that mine management had explored partnering with brick makers to reuse the earth waste for brick production.
‘This would help reduce the massive waste mounds. We also agree that eliminating mercury from the gold mining process is the best long-term solution,’ she said.
Mercury risks
In an earlier interview, State Minister for Mineral Development Phiona Nyamutooro, said the government had begun sensitising miners on mercury-free technologies. ‘Mercury use is banned under international protocols to which Uganda is a signatory. We continue to raise awareness and promote safer mining alternatives,’ she said.
Health experts warn that mercury exposure, even at low levels, can have severe health effects. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, mercury can cause respiratory complications, kidney and lung inflammation, reproductive and nervous system disorders, and other long-term health issues.
The toxic metal also affects plants and animals, contaminating entire ecosystems.
Interventions and alternatives
Uganda is among 23 countries piloting a mercury-free gold supply chain through alternative technologies already adopted in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, and the Philippines. These alternatives, such as borax and gravitational concentration technologies, allow for gold extraction without the use of mercury.
Ms Lynn Gitu, a project manager at Gold Planet, which partners with the Ugandan government on sensitisation programmes, said these technologies offer safer and more sustainable options for artisanal miners.
Numbers
There are an estimated 6,000 artisanal miners directly involved in gold extraction across the Kassanda District.
However, district officials estimate that over 200,000 residents out of the total population of 314,008 (2024 Census) could be indirectly affected through contaminated water, soil, and food sources.