THE REAL NJERU WAR! Otafiire Nukes Rwamirama, Links Stock Farm Battles to Powerful Gold Cartels—Says It’s Not About Cows, It’s About Gold
KAMPALA – A bitter battle over the future of the disputed Njeru Stock Farm has exploded into the open, with Internal Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire accusing State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama of sabotaging a promising gold exploration venture and playing into the hands of powerful gold cartels. In a detailed dossier, Otafiire insists the wrangles at the controversial government ranch have little to do with livestock and everything to do with the lucrative mineral wealth believed to lie beneath the land.
Read on VERBATIM:
IS THE GREED ABOUT GOLD?: Otafiire, Sam K. Njuba Jnr clear Claims Over the Njeru Gold Project
By Kahinda Otafiire
On 15 July 2026 the New Vision as part of its recent poorly researched and unverified attacks against me, ran a story that the army had evicted gold miners from Njeru stock farm and went ahead to further state that the said miners were under my employ and that I owned the gold mining project.
Any diligent and experienced journalist would offhand know that under Article 244 of the Ugandan Constitution, it states that all minerals belong to the people of Uganda and the government holds the same in trust for the people. Hence the government is mandated by the constitution and recently passed Mining Act to regulate, control and license any mining activities in the country.
One may have or own the land where the mineral deposit is found (land rights) but the ownership of the subsurface minerals (mineral rights) belong to the government of Uganda in trust for the people of Uganda.
The law allows for any citizen or investor with interest in engaging in the mining sector would first be required to apply for and be granted a prospecting license and exploration license from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. The Commissioner Geology and Mines grants the same after payment of the prescribed fees over a defined area allocated to the applicant (company or individual).
Whereas the prospecting license is granted for one year and covers prospective search over the country, it is non-exclusive and non-renewable, an exploration license is granted for 4 years over an area of 250 km² and renewable once for 3 years and subject to relinquishment upon renewal.
The holder of an exploration permit is expected to carry out secondary survey, exploration, soil and rock testing, and drill a specified number of “holes” to verify and confirm the mineralisation of the rock to confirm presence of the mineral ore. This is followed by extensive testing to confirm the source rock or gold vein, size, depth, purity as well as any other minerals within the exploration area.
It is only upon confirmation of occurrence of mineralisation and or commercial reserves that the exploration licence holder can apply for either a small scale, medium or large scale mining licence and these have different benefits and protections under the law. The mining permit would then be granted after proving to the commissioner geology and mines that the applicant has/had acquired the land rights or access.
Not all exploration and or permit holders have the right to enter and operate on private land in Uganda. The applicant must demonstrate that they have equally obtained rights to the land where the mining activity is expected to be carried out.The land rights or access may be acquired in various ways being outright purchase of the land rights from the land owner, lease, joint venture or partnership that may take different forms depending on the structure of the entity and financing, it is upon satisfying the commissioner lands or the obtainment of the above that one can claim to hold a valid mining rights/permit.
Under the New Mining Act the confirmation of presence and commercial deposit of any mineral and upon the grant of a large scale or medium scale mining permit would automatically trigger Section 179 of the Mining Act that would cause for the Uganda National Mining Company to acquire a free carried interest 15% and an option to purchase at an agreed commercial consideration another 15% stake in the company venture.
Any decent investor knows that a gold mine venture is the only mining venture that can be project financed as a greenfield project after the commercial reserves have been ascertained and proven, the rationale is gold in money whether dust, nuggets or pebbles and at the global rate of 140,000 US per kilo the presence of gold potential in Njeru should be good news to the country and not used to misled and misinform the public.
I was approached by a company called TAAYASA Minerals limited, owned by a Ugandan renowned mining engineer/entrepreneur Mr. Sam K. Njuba, who has made a name and reputation in the Mubende, Karamoja, Buhweju areas for his vast knowledge of Ugandas known hot spots on gold artisanal mining. Mr. Sam Njuba jnr. is the son of my fellow bush war fighter Major (Rtd) Gertrude Njuba a senior presidential advisor and head of the State house land protection unit. He is also the grand son of the famous Bishop of the West Buganda Diocese His Eminence Bishop Mukasa.
His proposal was for me to grant him access and permission to carry out prospective investigation into the likelihood and occurrence of gold and or other mineralisation on the rocks on the Njeru outcrop.
I must honestly admit I laughed at his request, but having known the hard-working person that Sam Njuba Jr is and his unique skill set as an entrepreneur and mining engineer, who was ready and willing at his cost to carry out the exploration, survey, tests and analyses. Very few Ugandans are honest and intentional with such vision and drive to undertake such ventures.
The mining exploration activities that were carried out were very promising until the greed, ignorance, and lack of savoir-faire exhibited by Hon. Bright Rwamwirama and Co. that led to the storming and demolition of his investment which he single-handedly funded out of pocket while looking after and attending to his sick son who unfortunately recently passed having put up a spirited fight with cancer.
Hon. Bright Rwamwirama and Co. have not only put poor Sam Njuba under a difficult financial position having destroyed the infrastructure that he had set up bu also made it hard to continue while all thinking that Kahinda Otafiire owned the activity. I can only sympathise on the loss and financial challenges Njuba is facing with the several partners he had engaged and brought on board his project and the vast opportunities that such a venture would open to the Basoga in Jinja and the Ugandan economy.
Very little is written or commented about the gold cartels in Mubende, Buhweju, and Karamoja exploiting the artisanal small-scale miners in those areas, to refining and processing gold. This cartel holds a monopoly and feels any innovating entrepreneur should not progress in the mining sector.
Such lack of vision and myopic thinking is what the original Fronasa fought against and it is very sad and sickening to see a son of the FRONASA, NRA historical and bush war hero comrade Major (Rtd) Gertrude Njuba is forced to bear due to the greed of a few.
If the exploration and investment materialised as was expected any decent investor knows that a gold mine venture is the only mining venture that can be project financed as a greenfield project after the commercial reserves have been ascertained and proven. The rationale is simple, gold is money whether dust, nuggets or pebbles and at the global rate of USD $140,000 per kilo the presence of gold potential in Njeru should be good news to the country and not used to misled and misinform the public.
My honest bargain with Mr. Sam K Njuba Jnr was upon his confirmation of commercial quantities of mineral deposit either gold or any other, in exchange for a share in the venture or royalty payments. I would cede the land rights to the venture so that their application and grant of the permit as a condition precedent for the issuance of a mining licence were favourable.
Unfortunately, the said dream may have to wait a bit longer as the greed and ignorance of a few who do not understand and see the big picture of forward and backward linkages such a venture would create for the Njeru, Buikwe and Greater Busoga Area with the intended Jinja-Kampala highway in the offing would open the region to investment.
It is not surprising that the President of Uganda on the letter dated 17th February 2023 directed Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to explore the possibility of giving/allocating that 450 acres of the stock farm to Modern Ventures Limited, well aware that the stock farm had nothing and no claim over land in Njeru after the Re-entry by court.
One can only have to think why?! Is the presence and existence of the stock farm amidst the growing industries in the area still a strategic investment or a Trojan horse to compulsory acquire land in Njeru and the hidden treasures buried under for some selfish interest.
Thanks for reading through this dossier.
Signed :
Kahinda Otafiire MAJ. GENERAL (Rtd.)
RO 00014.
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