Otafiire defends Njeru gold project, denies owning mining venture

What the report says

Minister of Water and Environment Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has rejected reports linking him to a gold mining venture on the disputed Njeru Stock Farm land, saying the activity was a private exploration effort rather than a business he owns or runs. According to Nile Post, he made the defence in a statement on X after a New Vision story connected him to miners who were recently arrested on the contested property.

Otafiire said Uganda’s Constitution places mineral resources under government trust, meaning land ownership does not automatically include ownership of what lies beneath the surface. He added that mining in Uganda requires the proper licences and permits from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. In his account, the exploration at Njeru was initiated by TAAYASA Minerals Limited, a company he said is owned by mining engineer and entrepreneur Sam K. Njuba Jr, who financed the surveys and tests.

The minister said the work had suggested promising gold potential and argued that, if commercially viable deposits were confirmed, the arrangement could have included royalties or a share in the venture. He also said the project was disrupted by interference from State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama and others, whom he accused of damaging infrastructure set up for the exploration.

The dispute over more than 1,000 acres at Njeru Stock Farm has already become a wider political and legal issue, with senior officials disagreeing over ownership and the use of the land. Otafiire said a successful gold project could create opportunities for communities in Buikwe, Jinja and the Busoga region, while critics have warned the site is a strategic government livestock facility.