Gen Olanya Olenge

24/04/2026

"In Uganda I have banned the export of unprocessed minerals, they have been praying for me to die!"~ President Yoweri Museveni

23/04/2026

23/04/2026

https://patriots.co.ug/breaking-the-chains-why-the-great-lakes-must-prioritize-open-resource-governance-and-security-policy/

23/04/2026

# Breaking the Chains: Why the Great Lakes Must Prioritize Open Resource Governance and Security Policy

The Great Lakes Region of Africa—encompassing Uganda, the DRC, South Sudan, Burundi, & Tanzania—is arguably the richest geographical cluster on earth in terms of mineral wealth, arable land, and water bodies. Yet, for decades, this "geological scandal" has been a primary driver of instability rather than prosperity.

To escape the gravity of the **Natural Resource Curse**, the region must shift from a model of extraction to a model of open governance and integrated security.
Understanding the "Resource Curse"
The "Natural Resource Curse" (or the Paradox of Plenty) occurs when a country’s natural resources lead to less economic growth, weaker democracy, and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer resources. In the Great Lakes, this is often manifested through corruption, Dutch Disease (where resource exports hurt other sectors), and violent conflict over control of mines and oil fields.

1. The Pillar of Open Governance
The most effective vaccine against the resource curse is **Radical Transparency**. For Uganda, currently on the cusp of significant oil production, and its neighbors, the following policies are essential:
* **Contract Transparency:** All Mining and Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) must be public. Secrecy in contracts allows for "sweetheart deals" that benefit political elites at the expense of the citizenry.
* **Beneficial Ownership Disclosure:** It is not enough to know which company owns a mine; we must know who *owns* those companies. Disclosing beneficial owners prevents officials from awarding contracts to their own shell companies.
* **Revenue Tracking:** Implementing the standards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) ensures that every dollar paid by a company is accounted for in the national treasury.

2. Redefining Security in Resource Zones
In the Great Lakes, "security" has often meant the militarization of resource-rich areas. However, true security is achieved through local legitimacy and the protection of human rights.
* **From Militarization to Formalization:** In the DRC and parts of Uganda, Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) is often controlled by armed groups. Prioritizing the formalization of these miners—giving them legal titles and fair market access—strips power away from militias.
* **Environmental Security:** Resource governance is incomplete without environmental protection. Degradation of land and water sources leads to displacement, which in turn fuels regional migration crises and ethnic tensions.

3. A Regional Approach to a Transboundary Problem
Resources do not respect colonial borders. Gold from the DRC flows through Uganda; oil pipelines cross from the Albertine Graben to the Tanzanian coast.
The Great Lakes region must prioritize **Regional Harmonization of Mining Codes**. If one country has high transparency standards and another does not, smugglers will simply move resources across the border to the "path of least resistance." A unified stance on "Conflict Minerals" (Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten, and Gold) is required to ensure the region’s wealth isn't used to fund insurgencies.

The Path Forward for Uganda and Her Neighbors
Uganda stands at a crossroads. As it prepares for "First Oil," the temptation to centralize control is high. However, history shows that the most stable resource-rich nations (like Norway or Botswana) are those where the public trusts that the wealth is being managed for the next generation.

**The Advice to Leaders:**
1. **Prioritize the Sovereign Wealth Fund:** Ensure that resource revenues are invested in human capital—education and healthcare—rather than recurring government expenditure.
2. **Strengthen Independent Oversight:** Empower Parliaments and Civil Society Organizations to audit the extractive sector without fear of reprisal.
3. **Local Content with Integrity:** Ensure that "Local Content" policies actually empower local businesses, rather than serving as a front for political patronage.

Conclusive;
The natural wealth of the Great Lakes should be a blessing that builds world-class infrastructure and ends poverty. By choosing **Open Governance** over secrecy and **Human Security** over military force, Uganda and its neighbors can finally break the cycle of the resource curse and lead the continent into a new era of sustainable prosperity.

Engr Olanya Olenge Tonny CEO Lyec Bullion Consults Team Lead Global Gold Consortium-Ug
+256 789259675

22/04/2026

* *THE REVISION OF GOLD TAXES IN UGANDA: HOW & WHY THE 200 USD EXPORT LEVY ?

For several years, Uganda faced a standoff between gold refiners and the government over taxation. Thus the revisions aimed to create a sustainable middle ground that encourages exports & Value Addition while ensuring the country collects its fair share of revenue.

**1. How the Taxes Were Revised**
The government moved away from a strictly 5% percentage-based tax to a more fixed-rate structure to provide clarity and predictability for exporters, charging an export levy of 200USD per kilo of refined gold leaving Uganda

* **Refined Gold:** The tax was set at **$200 per kilogram** of refined gold exported.
* **Unrefined Gold:** For those exporting gold in its raw or semi-processed form, a levy of **5% of the total value** is applied.
* **Back-Tax Settlement:** The revision also included provisions for gold dealers to pay outstanding arrears that had accumulated during the period when the industry was on strike.

**2. Why the Taxes Were Revised**
**A. Ending the Export Stalemate**
Prior to this revision, the government had imposed a 5% levy on all gold exports. In protest, gold refiners and dealers halted exports for nearly a year, leading to a massive drop in Uganda's export earnings. The revision was a "peace offering" to get the industry moving again.
**B. Curtailing Smuggling**
High taxes often drive the gold trade underground. By setting a fixed, predictable rate ($200/kg), the government aimed to make legal exportation more attractive than smuggling gold through porous borders to neighboring countries with lower tax regimes.
**C. Formalizing the Artisanal Sector**
Uganda has a large number of artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs). A clearer tax structure helps bring these informal players into the formal economy, allowing the government to track the flow of gold from the mines to the refineries.
**D. Revenue Generation**
Gold is one of Uganda’s leading foreign exchange earners. The government needed a functional tax system that actually collects revenue. By lowering the barriers that caused the "gold strike," the government ensured a steady stream of income into the national treasury rather than having a high tax on paper that no one was paying.
**The Impact**
Since these revisions, Uganda has seen a significant recovery in its gold export figures, reclaiming its spot as a regional hub for gold processing & refining of Gold. The move highlights a shift in policy from aggressive taxation to a "volume-based" strategy—where lower, fixed taxes encourage higher volumes of legal trade.

Opinion ; Do you think Government of Uganda Charging USD 200 (Gold Export Levy) on each kilo of Refined Gold for Export from Uganda is Robust Enough for The Highly Priced Precious Metals Trading ?????

With Global Gold Demand & Price Skyrocketing, is 200US still fair?

Engr .Olanya Olenge Tonny
CEO Lyec Bullion Consults
Team Lead Global Gold Consortium-UG🇺🇬🐘🇺🇬
+256 789259675

21/04/2026

ACHOLI ; Rich in Mineral Resources , Poor Systems

The Soils of Northern Uganda sit atop vast deposits of Transition & Critical Minerals , whose significance is just beginning to get noticed since the north has weak mining culture!

Northern Uganda is the untapped Mining Potential of The East African Region

20/04/2026

https://redpepper.co.ug/a-breakdown-of-ugandas-mining-law-from-prospecting-to-extraction/147487/

By Eng Olanya Olenge Tonny Mining operations include the entire value chain, from looking for,...

18/04/2026

A Breakdown Of Uganda's Mining Law, From Prospecting To Extraction

Mining operations include the entire value chain, from looking for, prospecting, exploring, mining, processing, smelting, transporting & Value Addition- everything that one can do with a mineral is provided for and governed,"

From prospecting to mining

Mineral Development follows a structured licensing sequence

The process begins with a prospecting licence, which is issued for one year and allows preliminary assessment of the presence of minerals.

If results are promising, a developer then applies for an exploration licence, which allows detailed studies to determine whether the mineral deposit is viable.

Exploration licences are granted for a maximum of four years and can be renewed once for an additional three years.

Mining is a long-term activity and that the exploration period allows for extensive studies using geophysical, geological and geochemical methods.

"It is only the holder of an exploration licence who has the first right to apply for a mining licence,"

Requirements before extraction

Companies must meet several requirements before transitioning to full-scale extraction.

These include conducting geoscientific and feasibility studies to confirm that a mineral deposit exists in commercially viable quantities.

A company must also obtain surface rights to access land where minerals are located, noting that while minerals are vested in government, land ownership may belong to individuals. Proof of acquisition of these rights is required when applying for a mining licence.
Extraction can only take place under a mining licence and warned that carrying out mining activities under an exploration licence is illegal.

*****Regulation and compliance *****
The law contains provisions to ensure that licence holders actively use their exploration areas.

For example, there is a limit to the number of exploration licences one entity can hold, and failure to utilise them may affect eligibility for additional licences.

Exploration licences are granted for specific areas and durations, and developers are expected to carry out work within that period.

*******Gold and Mineral Regulation*******

Gold, is regulated like other minerals under the Mining and Minerals Act and related laws. Gold falls under a category of "designated minerals" which are subject to additional regulatory controls due to their association with conflict and security concerns.

Government is working on regulations to establish designated mineral markets and buying centres, where trade will be conducted under the supervision of relevant authorities, including revenue and security agencies.

Sustainability and environmental protection
"The entire regulation is towards ensuring that minerals are extracted in a way that is optimal and they are not wasted, but also that the environment is protected," The Laws require land restoration and rehabilitation after mining, including refilling pits

Engr Olanya Olenge Tonny
CEO Lyec Bullion Consults
Team Lead Global Gold Consortium-Ug
+256 789259675 (WhatsApp)

29/03/2026

Great collaboration Start 🤝🤝Everything Extractives