President of the National Development Party (NDP), Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo, has promised to introduce a new Mining Act that will benefit all district councils with mining activities in their areas, especially if he becomes the next head of state.
According to Mwenifumbo, under the proposed Act, mining companies will be mandated to transfer five per cent of the collection of mineral royalties to the district council they are working in.
He said the mining loyalties will help to foster development projects in the concerned district councils.
“The law will result in the transfer of the collection of mineral royalties from the Department of Mine to district councils with mining activities. Mineral royalties are made by mining companies to the government, which owns mineral rights in the country, and the royalties are calculated as a percentage at five per cent of the value of extracted minerals,” he highlighted.
Apart from that, the NDP leader also promised to decentralize the recruitment of Malawi Defense Soldiers (MDF) as well as police.
Mwenifumbo further disclosed that his government will actively pursue the formation of a federal system of government, saying, “The current system of government has failed us.”
Mzuzu-based social commentator Jackson Caesar-Msiska, who is also the director of Youths Action Campaign (YAC), described Mwenifumbo’s promises as crucial to the nation.
Msiska saluted NDP for tackling mine issues in its manifestos saying the activities have failed to benefit the district councils.
He gave an example, the Kayerekera uranium mine in Karonga, saying only the central government benefited.
Meanwhile, Mwenifumbo has disclosed that his party will go solo in the 2025 elections.
