An artisanal miner in Kanungu District has been found dead, a day after officials from the Ministry of Energy suspended illegal gold mining activities in the area.
The deceased, identified as Peter Ensinikweeri, had joined hundreds of other locals who, over the past two months, flocked to a hilly area in Kanoni and Kabugyiri villages, Kayungwe Sub-county, Kinkizi East County, in search of gold. The miners had erected temporary tents, makeshift shelters, and iron-sheet structures for accommodation as they dug pits in search of the precious mineral.
But on Thursday, July 2, 2026, officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, led by the State Minister for Minerals, Phiona Nyamutoro, ordered an immediate suspension of all mining activities at the site. The minister explained that the land containing the gold deposits is covered under Exploration Licence EL00135, which was issued to Shiye Miners Company for exploration.
Nyamutoro said the mining activities were illegal because they were being carried out without the required licences. She also expressed concern over the poor health and sanitation conditions at the site, noting the absence of standard toilets and a health facility to provide first aid in case of emergencies.
Following the suspension, many miners were left stranded, including Ensinikweeri, who was in his 30s and a resident of Mumbuga Village in Rutenga Sub-county, Kanungu District. Witnesses say he was visibly distressed and broke down in tears as he wondered how he would repay a loan he had obtained, hoping to recover the money through gold mining.
Ensinikweeri retired to his makeshift tarpaulin shelter in Kabugyiri Village, Mishenyi Parish, on Thursday night but did not wake up on Friday morning. Enock Byaruhanga, the LC I Chairperson of Kabugyiri Village, says fellow miners became concerned after Ensinikweeri failed to emerge from his shelter and later found him dead inside.
Byaruhanga says residents suspect that Ensinikweeri may have died due to stress after the suspension of mining activities dashed his hopes of earning enough money to repay his loan. However, the exact cause of death has not yet been established.
Ensinikweeri also says that the closure of the gold mine has left many residents anxious because the site had become their main source of income.
He also says that some artisanal miners from outside Kanungu District have since resorted to moving from door to door in search of casual work. Byaruhanga further warns that the closure of the mine could lead to an increase in theft, arguing that many people who had been earning an income from the mining activities are now unemployed.
Police visited the scene, documented the incident, and transported the body to Kanungu Health Centre IV Mortuary for a post-mortem examination. By press time, police had not issued an official statement on the cause of Ensinikweeri’s death. URN