"The Cabinet noted that ever since its commencement in 2011 across the country's rural provinces, large-scale and mechanical alluvial mining or riverbed mining has resulted in water pollution, siltation, degradation of river channels, and disruption of riverine ecosystems," Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere was quoted as saying.
"Although we have the legal underpinning to ensure that mining can take place in a legalized environment, including alluvial mining, there is a class of illegal miners that go onto a river and begin to mine whether as artisanal or mechanical miners," Masuka was cited by media. "We want to ban alluvial mining and in banning it means we have to resource the ministries, the departments, and agencies that are mandated with ensuring enforcement of laws."