Assessment of compliance to sustainable development on mining activities in Tanzania: A case study of Kahama District

Abstract

This paper is based on the findings of a study undertaken to assess the compliance to sustainable development on mining activities in Kahama District. The study aimed at investigating how Buzwagi and Bulyanhulu mining companies contribute to environmental conservation, economic growth and social empowerment and stability to the community’s around and how this is implicated to attaining sustainable development to Kahama communities in Tanzania. The study findings show that most of the mining activities were not complying with sustainable development to meet the needs of the communities within the mining areas. The most evident reasons for not complying were, among others, ignorance of the communities around the mining area which has resulted into failure to understand sustainable development and therefore have limited scope of analyzing and interpreting the policies, rules and by laws guiding mining activities. Other reasons are weak and ineffective policies leading to inequitable benefits sharing, deprivation of communities land rights, opportunity to become shareholders in the mining business and exposure to threats such as diseases, drought, theft etc. Apart from the policies being weak they also lack linkages and synergies thus making enforcement difficulty. The study concludes that marked sustainable development can be attained through community capacity building, economic and social empowerment. Subsequently, it is recommended that the government, mining companies and NGOS should build capacity of the communities around Buzwagi and Bulyanhulu and minimize environmental impacts through effective environmental management. Also the Government should review mining policy, investment policy and land policy effects.