Open letter to the Minister. Mineral licensing moratorium: The law already has the tools

What the report says

The Observer published an open letter addressed to Uganda’s Minister responsible for minerals arguing that the government does not need a sector-wide licensing freeze to fix problems in mining administration. The writer refers to two recent pauses: a one-month stop on receiving, processing or granting new mineral rights from August 27, and a further three-month suspension announced on October 27 while the ministry finalizes a “Strategic Mineral Licensing by Design” framework.

The letter says the ministry’s own figures showed a large imbalance in the register by June 30, with many exploration licences but only a handful of large-scale and artisanal mining licences. It also cites concerns from the Permanent Secretary that some exploration licences are being used as a substitute for production licences. Still, the author argues that the Mining and Minerals Act already gives the ministry tools to deal with idle ground, unpaid rent, strategic minerals and disputed areas without halting the whole sector.

Among the remedies proposed are cancelling overdue licences, reopening expired or surrendered ground, using competitive bidding for strategic areas and continuing to process already-approved applications. The writer says a blanket pause delays exploration, investor decisions and formalization efforts by artisanal miners, while creating uncertainty for applicants who have already paid fees or received approval but are waiting for ministerial signatures.

The broader point is that mining policy should focus on enforcement and targeted controls rather than a general suspension. The letter cites past projects to argue that structured processes and clear rules can support development more effectively than broad pauses.