The Human Cost of Mining in Karamoja Part 1: Blood Marble A Case Study of Tororo Cement

THIS IS A NEW SERIES WHERE WE SHALL BE WRITING ABOUT INJUSTICES IN THE MINING SECTOR AND HOPE THE POWERFUL ARE HELD TO ACCOUNT

BACKGROUND

Tororo Cement Limited is a household name in Uganda. One of the largest manufacturing

companies that exist in the East African Nation and according to Wikipedia “TCL is the largest manufacturer of cement in Uganda, producing an estimated 3.0 million metric tonnes annually.” Almost double its closest competitor Hima Cement Limited, which produces an estimated 1.7 million metric tonnes annually.

“In July 2015, TCL successfully completed and commissioned a UGX:86 billion expansion to increase annual production to 3.0 million metric tonnes.” Millions of Ugandans use its product and are familiar with the green Tororo Rock symbol plastered on every bag.

What many Ugandans do not know is that for past 21 years Tororo Cement through local agents has reaped hundreds of billions of shillings by exploiting vulnerable Karimojong communities with total impunity and disregard for ordinary Karimojong. To add insult to injury

they seek a renewal of their license to continue their exploitation of their mining lease and further their plundering of the Tepeth People of Mount Moroto.

This article is part 1 of weekly articles detailing injustices in the extractives sector in Karamoja by powerful conglomerations. For purposes of clarity, this week, we shall exclusively talk about Tororo Cement Limited.

To be clear this article is not against development or investors in Karamoja sub-region it is against exploitation with impunity of ordinary people by powerful and sophisticated corporations. It is not even against Tororo Cement Limited. There is a possibility that the CEO and board are not aware of what happens at the bottom of their value chain.

At the end Karamoja Trumpet will outline some possible pathways to ensure that communities rights to free, prior and informed consent are respected as well as ways in which Tororo Cement can correct injustices that happened as a result of its lax corporate policy in Karamoja for the past 21 years.

Karamoja Trumpet is independent, Karimojong owned opinion and commentary outlet, not funded by any donor or political party and we shall go where the facts lead us.

The Tepeth People of Mount Moroto

Karamoja today exists on a mountainous plateau. With 4 mountains created out of volcanic activity and tectonic movements thousands of years ago (Mount Napak, Mount

Kadam, Moru (Mt) ngole and Mt Moroto) and plethora of hills such as (Morulinga, Toror, Matany,

Labwor hills etc.). The communities that occupy these areas are The IK (TEUSO), Kadam and

Tepeth (So). They constitute less than 10% of Karamoja’s population with less than 70,000

people. With less than 200 Graduates between them.

The Tepeth are considered a minority sub- ethnic group of the Karimojong indigenous pastoral people who are a minority within Uganda. It can be said the Tepeth are the vulnerable among the vulnerable, a minority with a minority.

They have a unique language, norms, Cultural practices. They were formerly hunters and

gatherers but due to the decline in wildlife numbers between the 1970s and 1980s they have since taken up a new role as agro-pastoralists. For so many years now, they depend on the mountains for food, water, wood and grass for thatching. Their homesteads are made deep in the caves and on the slopes of Mount Moroto.

Mineral Blessing or Curse

As the first Tepeth settled their over 150 years ago they did not know that on their land stood one of the largest deposits of Marble, Limestone and Clinker along with a plethora of other minerals such as gold, platinum, mercury and rumors of diamond deposits as well. This is in addition to medicinal plants and thriving bee colonies which leads to the creation of some of the best honey in East Africa based on research.

In comes Tororo Cement

In the heat of NRM disarmament 1 operations in Karamoja 2002-2011(there have been multiple distinct disarmaments carried out in Karamoja since the time of the British Administration, Obote, Amin and NRM governments), Tororo Cement Acquired Mining lease number ML0593(2001.906 hectares) in 2003 due to the fact that the community was never compensated in order to relinquish surface rights and the fact that process was frought with illegalities it begun the terrible relationship between the ordinary Karimojong communities and the most powerful Cement Company in Uganda

In 2010, due to increased demand for their cement across Uganda and beyond. they went ahead and obtained another Mining license ML4622(51.8 square Kilometers) from yet another illegally obtained piece of land outside the original 2003 area.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Given the fact that Limestone, Marble and God knows what else from Karamoja has made Tororo Cement Hundreds of billions it would be safe to assume that sure some of that money

trickles back to the source of their money. You would be forgiven for your naivety because sadly that is not the case.

Of the hundreds of billions that TCL makes in 21 years according their website they have donated 726 million Ugandan shillings. 390 million for the construction of two churches, one in Kosiroi Mining town and another in Amudat District and 336 million for a classroom block and Kitchen at an unspecified school in Moroto District. They are currently according to their website constructing a boundary wall for a school in Katikekile sub-county Moroto District.

Due to lack of funds we were unable to access accurate financial data on the size and scope of the Tororo Cement Company through financial declarations.

Working Conditions at the mining sites

Tororo Cement does little in terms of improving working conditions at the mining sites, they do not provide PPE, safety gear for their workers or water as well as do little to prevent children from entering and working in the mining sites. It is estimated that atleast 100 people have died from mining site conflicts, exhaustion and over work.

Poor Working Conditions at Tororo Cement Mining sites. Children, old women and men struggle to eke out a living

Promises made, Promises broken

In 2016 Tororo Cement Limited Promised to increase the wages of loaders from 100,000/= ugx to 160,000/= ugx per 12-ton truck. The sub county passed bylaws to this effect however to this date, no such raise has been effected.

Loaders have been exploited for the past 21 years by Tororo cement, working for little pay without protective gear

The rise of the illegal methanol traders using Tororo Cement Trucks

Trucks belonging to Tororo Cement Local agents leave Moroto, fully loaded with marble but upon their return they are fully loaded with illegally brewed waragi filled with methanol that has led to a high death rate among mostly men in Tepeth and other Karimojong communities. Kidney failure and other alcohol related deaths are becoming more and more common unfortunately, mass graves in Tepeth and Moroto are visible and death reports are easy to come by Districts DHO. Tororo Cement Agents liaising with bootleggers in Tororo and Jinja are directly responsible for these deaths.

2 trucks ferrying waragi worth 200million ugx intercepted in Moroto by security officers based on intelligence and coordination from our youth network

Mob justice of Ms. Cheparwas Betty

In 2022, a VHT member Ms. Cheparwas Betty spoke out against Tororo cement at the mining site. Accusing them of plundering the people and doing little to help the community/ That very night an angry mob descended upon her home and beat her to death. It is suspected they were incited by Tororo Cement Agents(cut outs) and we have witnesses to this effect.

Acting with impunity

Tororo Cement acting through its agents continuously greases the wheels of local community leaders. Many Local and District leaders who benefit from Tororo Cement are compromised and this has led to them considering their own interests as well as those of the company above the people whom they are supposed to serve.

In 2019 a borehole from Moroto District LG was lobbied and it was put in the budget. After the construction of this borehole, which was to serve the community, Tororo Cement agents went ahead and illegally commandeered the borehole, removed the hand pump, brought a water bowser, and begun pumping water to their tank which they would then sell to the people at exorbitant prices which most in this area are not able to afford.

Tororo Cement Local Agent Drivers often drive recklessly and routinely in many documented cases, have knocked dead innocent people in hit and run attacks in which culprits are never brought to book. Attempts to call police to investigate are usually futile and witnesses are targeted by the same agents and harassed into silence. This sometimes results in communities firing at marble trucks such as the recent shooting of a Tororo Cement Driver earlier this year

Recommendations on possible courses of action that Tororo Cement and Government can undertake in order to prevent the continued exploitation of the Tepeth people.

Ø Tororo Cement meet the ordinary community not just local leaders and elites in public community barazas and hears the true frustrations of the local ordinary people.

Ø A public free and fair election for trustees of Tepeth communal land associations is carried out

Ø Tororo Cement Mining for its mining leases, number ML0593 and ML4622, pays the community through their elected communal land associations(CLAs recognized under Ministry of Lands) a sum of at least 5 Billion Ugandan Shillings at a rate of acre for the 2002 license and for the 2012 license ,12.335bn UGX at the same rate.

Ø State House anti-corruption unit investigate this issue and any officials, at all levels, found to have been implicated in wrongdoing be prosecuted.

Ø We recommend that the Tepeth people be given the contracts to transport marble from Tepeth cutting out middle men who oppress locals.

Conclusions

The Land management and tenure systems can work better if natives are part and parcel of developments on their land through exploring and scaling up natural resource management models for the exploitation and benefit sharing mechanisms of the endowments in area by adopting innovative ways of delivering lasting and impactful solutions for wealth creation for the Tepeth people to avert poverty, suffering, insecurity, armed conflict and regional cross border instability