{Rwanda National Police (RNP) on Wednesday reached out to over 50 miners from Karama and Kayenzi sectors in Kamonyi District and encouraged them to play a significant role in protecting the environment and to conduct their mining activities in a manner preserves environment.}
While speaking to the miners, the District Police Commander, Supt. Donath Kinani said: “Illegal mining sends toxic feeds into different streams and destroys the environment and the atmosphere terribly.”
“Having a license to mine doesn’t mean that you have the authority to destroy the environment. That licence requires you to conducting your activities in a way that the environment is not threatened. You are therefore expected to be champions of environmental protection and always plant as many trees as possible around your concessions,” Supt. Kinani said.
He urged them to always abide by laws governing mining and also ensure all miners are equipped with standard protectcive gears necessary to protect them from any accidents.
He urged them to rehabilitate degraded mining sites and also warned against illegal mining saying that it comes with a lot of consequences.
“You should fight against illegal mining; illegal miners are encroaching on your concessions and taking your minerals that are supposed to generate you revenues that’s why you should join the fight against such malpractices,” he said.
SP Kinani went on to sensitize them about their role in fighting other crimes like drug abuse, human trafficking and Gender based Violence.
Felix Niyigena a representative of Kayenzi Mining Company (KAMICO) thanked the police for the knowledge delivered to them and residents and promised to spread it as far as possible.
The awareness is in the line with the ongoing RNP campaign against environmental crimes and illegal mining, which have been blamed for causing disasters, endangering the ecosystem and water bodies.
The government, through the RNP Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) is currently conducting a countrywide operation against illegal mining, said to be the source of the current state of the muddy River Nyabarongo waters and its tributaries as it seeks to conserve and turn the blown waters of the river blue.
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