Embattled mining boss finally quits

The Rwanda Mining Association (RMA) has accepted the resignation of its president, Jean Paul Higiro. This follows allegations that his mining company, Africa Primary Tungsten (APT), was involved in illegal tagging of minerals. The acts, which were caught on camera by investigators, showed workers from the company as well as those from Semico Ltd, illegally tagging minerals at ATP’s compound in Gikondo, Kigali. The incident led to APT’s ban from mineral trading by the International Tin Research Institute (ITRI), the mining watchdog while the company’s case is being closely followed by the Police’s Criminal Investigation Department. “RMA wishes to inform the public that it has received the resignation of Jean Paul Higiro as the president of the association due to an iTSCi incident that happened at his trading premises,” a Monday communiqué by the RMA Executive Committee read. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Natural Resources and copied to the Private Sector Federation, Higiro said that he resigned in order to pave way for investigations. “I do this with a sad heart but feel I must put Rwanda, the association and our industry first. All members must be aware that the association will react harshly to wrong doings, so as chairman and one of the founding members, I wish to set an example,” Higiro said. He however vowed to continue to fight to prove his innocence. Higiro had served as President of RMA for a year. The RMA Executive Committee appointed the association’s current First Vice President, Jean Malic Kalima, as its acting president. Kalima is the Regional Director of Wolfram Mining and Processing. Alongside APT, which is one of the biggest taxpayers in the country, four other mining companies were blacklisted for illegally tagging minerals and suspended locally for six months by the Geology and Mines Department (GMD).

National

Embattled mining boss finally quits