Former National Resistance Army (NRA) commander Col Samson Mande has clashed with State Minister for Minerals Phionah Nyamutoro over the legal status of a cooperative formed to represent artisanal and small-scale miners in Kanungu District.

The disagreement arose during an extraordinary Kanungu District Council meeting convened to investigate allegations of illegal gold mining at Kayungwe Gold Mine in Kayungwe Sub-county, as well as claims that security officers were facilitating illegal mining activities.

The council also discussed allegations of torture and mistreatment of artisanal miners by security personnel.

Kayungwe Gold Mine was closed in July 2026, forcing artisanal miners to leave the site. The mine falls within Exploration Licence EL00135, which was issued to Shiye Miners Company for mineral exploration.

Following the closure, artisanal miners were advised to acquire the necessary licences before resuming operations in areas officially designated for artisanal mining.

During the council meeting, Minister Nyamutoro said three artisanal miners’ associations the Rugyeyo Artisanal Miners Association, Kanungu Artisanal Miners Association and Kayungwe Artisanal Miners Association had applied for licences and were at an advanced stage of securing them.

She said the licences would enable members of the associations to legally undertake mining activities in areas gazetted for artisanal mining.

However, Col Mande protested the minister’s position regarding the Kanungu District United Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Cooperative Society Limited, arguing that the cooperative had been legally registered by the Registrar of Cooperatives and could not therefore be declared invalid.

The exchange became heated when Nyamutoro interrupted Col Mande, maintaining that registration by the Registrar of Cooperatives did not give the organisation authority to undertake mining activities.

She said although the cooperative had been registered by the Registrar of Cooperatives, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development did not recognise it as an entity authorised to engage in mining activities.

Nyamutoro said the ministry had advised Col Mande against using the name Kanungu District United Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Cooperative Society Limited for mining-related activities, but he had disregarded the advice.

She maintained that her position was based on the law and the need to protect Uganda’s mining sector rather than personal interests.

The dispute comes amid growing efforts by authorities to regulate artisanal and small-scale mining, a sector that employs thousands of Ugandans but has also faced concerns over illegal operations, environmental degradation and alleged abuse of miners.

The district council is expected to further examine the allegations surrounding mining activities at Kayungwe Gold Mine and the treatment of artisanal miners.