The Parliamentary Natural Resources Committee has Tuesday sent a Chinese company Zhong’s Industries Limited to Police CIID for investigation on illegal sand mining in the areas around Lake Victoria.
The decision was reached by committee members after the Managing Director Collin Subika admitted that the company does not have a license to mine sand at Lwera wetland in Mpigi yet they are mining within the protected zone of Lake Victoria.
The company directors didn’t appear before the committee but instead sent their lawyers who were given powers of attorney to represent them; these were committed to the CIID for further investigation.
The lawyers told the members that their bosses who are all Chinese nationals would not make it to the meeting since they had lost their mother.
The committee was however not convinced, stressing that the directors were clearing hiding from the committee, well aware of consequences of their illegal acts.
The company’s troubles started after a working tour to Lwera wetland in Mpigi district last month by committee members following queries of illegal sand mining raised on the floor of the house. The members found that several companies that were carrying out activities had no licenses to carry out sand mining.
These companies under investigation include; Seroma Investments, Capital Estates, Aqua World, Chinese Company Mango Tree Group and Zhong’s Industries Limited.
The MPs also reacted to submissions by other companies including Mango Tree Group which they found has no management team in Uganda.
Rtd. Canon Seroma Ssekidde told the committee that they have not begun sand mining, and that he just he acquired land from Artisanal Miners.