After nine years of waiting, 203 families affected by the Kanyika Niobium Mine project have finally received their compensation.
Globe Metals and Mining Limited Managing Director Lusungu Chirwa confirmed that the company has paid compensation to all but one of the households affected by the proposed mining project in Kanyika, Mzimba District.
Chirwa said the remaining family is yet to receive its payment due to problems with its bank account, which the company is working to resolve.
The payments follow the withdrawal of a court case in which some affected communities had challenged aspects of the compensation and relocation process.
The dispute had become one of the major issues delaying progress on the project, which has been under development for several years.
With the bulk of the compensation now settled, Globe Metals and Mining is expected to proceed with preparations for the relocation of the affected households and the subsequent development of the mining project.
Kanyika Community-Based Organization Network coordinator Petros Gowokani Thinda also confirmed that most of the affected families have received their compensation following the withdrawal of the court case.
Thinda described the development as significant for communities that have waited for years for the compensation issue to be resolved.
The affected households are required to relocate to make way for mining operations under the Kanyika Niobium Project.
The Kanyika deposit is regarded as an important component of Malawi’s efforts to expand its mining sector. Niobium is used in the production of specialised steel and other industrial applications.
The project has attracted government and investor interest as Malawi seeks to increase mining’s contribution to the economy, diversify its sources of foreign exchange and reduce reliance on traditional export commodities.
However, the proposed mine has faced delays over land acquisition, compensation and the relocation of communities living within the project’s footprint.
The latest development marks a significant shift in the long-running Kanyika project, with attention now moving from the compensation dispute to the practical implementation of the project.
The relocation process is expected to remain a critical stage, as affected families will have to leave areas where they have lived and earned their livelihoods for years.
Community representatives and the company will therefore need to manage the relocation process while addressing the needs and concerns of the affected households.
The outstanding compensation payment also remains to be resolved before the compensation process can be considered fully complete.
For Globe Metals and Mining, the payment of compensation to 203 families removes a major hurdle that has persisted for nearly a decade and allows the company to advance preparations for the Kanyika mining project.
The project now enters a new phase, with attention expected to focus on relocation, site development and the company’s plans to
