Lissu Intends to Block Uranium Extraction in Parliament

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Frank Kimboy

20 July 2011

Dodoma — An MP expects to table a private motion in the October Bunge session to block extraction of uranium in the country.

Mr Tindu Lissu, the Singida East MP (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, Chadema), said his decision follows a petition signed by over 3,000 wananchi from Bahi District in Dodoma and Manyoni in Singida which he had received.

He said they decided to write the petition, which he expects to table as a private motion, after learning that the government has granted a license for uranium extraction in their area to Mantra Resources Limited.

He said the petition was signed last Saturday in Bahi after launching of the economic and social effects of uranium report. He said a team of activists conducted a research to find out the effect of uranium extraction.

According to him, parliamentary rules and regulations allow wananchi to seek the parliament’s intervention in anything that affects their lives through writing and signing a petition.

He said after signing a petition wananchi are allowed to present it to the parliament through an MP who has no personal interest in the issue. Due to the limited time in the current budget session, Mr Lissu said, he will table the motion in October. He said for the past five years wananchi from Bahi and Manyoni have been opposing the mining of uranium in their area, but to no avail.

“Despite the danger that uranium extraction poses to Wananchi and environment, Wananchi from Bahi, Namtumbo and Manyoni fear for their lives after learning that the government has granted a uranium extraction license to Mantra Resources Limited,” he said.

In his motion, Mr Lissu said, he will be questioning the government’s commitment to its people by allowing uranium extraction, knowing the danger it poses to the life of human beings, animals and the environment.

“We, as a country, neither have the financial capacity, technology nor expertise on, uranium. Germany one of the super powers in the world, is shunning from using uranium as a source of energy, who are we (Tanzania) to try? Look at what happened in Japan!” he exclaimed.

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