A group of elderly residents in Geita, Tanzania, who have been waiting 26 years for compensation over land affected by mining operations, are now seeking to become miners themselves. Members of Kamati ya Vigingi, representing residents of Nyakabale and Nyamalembo, have asked the Government to help them secure a mining licence following the settlement of their long-running compensation dispute with Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML).
The dispute, which lasted over 26 years, was finally settled in August 2025, when the Ministry of Minerals announced the start of compensation after GGML agreed to pay affected residents. By March 2026, GGML had projected compensation payments of about Sh70 billion, subject to completion of valuation, verification and contractual procedures. Thobias Mabula, leader of Kamati ya Vigingi, said the affected residents had lived on the land for generations but faced restrictions on development while waiting for compensation.
The committee’s name comes from the vigingi—beacons placed in the affected areas to mark land associated with mining operations. The elders have now received their compensation and are seeking to participate in the mining industry that has shaped their communities for decades. They asked Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde to help them secure mineral ground where they could undertake mining collectively.
Minister Mavunde accepted the request and directed the Mining Commission to guide them through group formation and the licensing process. He said the Commission should consider areas being returned to the Government after licences are cancelled or surrendered by holders who have failed to develop them. This move follows the cancellation of 40 prospecting licences covering about 188,163 acres after their holders failed to develop the areas despite being given notices to rectify breaches.
In April, Minister Mavunde ordered the cancellation of the licences, and the Ministry said the recovered areas would be returned to the Government for redistribution to small-scale miners, capable investors and targeted groups. For the elders, the request marks a shift in their relationship with the mining industry. For more than two decades, their involvement centred on restrictions on land use and the struggle for compensation.
Now, they want to participate directly in the economic activity around them. The elders also presented two cows to President Samia Suluhu Hassan as a gesture of appreciation for the Government’s intervention. Minister Mavunde received the gift on her behalf. The Ministry of Minerals has been working to resolve long-standing disputes and ensure that mining activities benefit local communities.
The development highlights the ongoing efforts to balance mining operations with community interests in Tanzania. The government continues to work on resolving disputes and ensuring that mining activities benefit local communities. The elders' quest for a mining licence is a significant step towards their participation in the industry.
Key points
- The group of elderly residents in Geita, Tanzania, are seeking a mining licence after a 26-year compensation dispute with Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) was settled.
- Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde has directed the Mining Commission to facilitate the request and guide the group through the licensing process.
- The elders' shift from seeking compensation to participating in the mining industry marks a significant change in their relationship with the industry.
