Leaders in Kasese District are raising alarm over the continued erosion of copper and cobalt tailings into River Nyamwamba, warning that government may have already lost more than two million tonnes of valuable minerals to recurring floods.
What was once a massive mineral tailings dam containing copper, cobalt, zinc and other deposits now stands dangerously exposed, steadily caving into the river whenever floods strike.
The cobalt tailings were heaped at the site decades ago during the operations of Kilembe Mines. Years of exposure to heavy rains and the powerful currents of the river have accelerated erosion, with large sections of the dam collapsing into the water.
Richard Bomera, Chairperson of the Nyamwamba Catchment Management Committee, estimates that the quantity of minerals already lost could sustain operations at Kasese Cobalt Company Limited for between 10 and 50 years.
“If proper assessments are conducted, government will realize that the amount of cobalt and copper already washed away is enormous. These minerals could run Kasese Cobalt Company for decades. What we are witnessing is both economic sabotage and environmental negligence,” Bomera said.
Beyond economic loss, leaders fear environmental consequences. River Nyamwamba drains into Lake George and connects to the Kazinga Channel, raising concerns that acidic substances from the tailings could harm aquatic life and disrupt ecosystems that support fishing and tourism.
Mustafa Kikusa, Chairperson of the Kasese District Disaster Management Committee, says the district lacks the technical and financial capacity to secure the site, calling for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Geologists identify the affected site, commonly referred to as Dam C, as one of eleven tailings dams left behind before mining operations ceased in 1982.
As floods continue to pound Nyamwamba’s banks, leaders are urging government to treat the situation as both an environmental emergency and an economic crisis, warning that further inaction could turn the slow erosion into a full-scale national disaster.
