Dodoma. The ministry of Minerals has prepared a draft contract to regulate relations between mining licence holders and artisanal miners, which has been circulated to Resident Mining Officers nationwide for oversight once it is signed and registered.
Deputy Minister for Minerals, Dr Steven Kiruswa, said this on January 27, 2026, in Parliament in Dodoma while responding to a question by Katoro MP, Mr Kija Ntemi, who sought clarification on who would supervise contracts between licence holders and small-scale miners who discover minerals, as well as the duration of such agreements.
Dr Kiruswa told the House that the contracts would be valid for three years, with a possibility of renewal.
“The contracts will last for a period of three years and may be renewed for another term subject to agreement between the parties involved,” he said.
He explained that the move follows amendments made in 2025 to the Mining Rights Regulations of 2018, which introduced new legal obligations for licence holders.
“Following the 2025 amendments to the Mining Rights Regulations of 2018, Regulation 5A(1) requires a primary mining licence holder to enter into a contract with a small-scale miner operating within the licensed area, and to ensure that the contract is approved and registered by the Mining Commission,” Dr Kiruswa said.
In a separate response to a question by Tarime Rural MP, Mr Mwita Waitara, who asked when Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) regulations in the mining sector would be amended to allow development projects to be managed by local authorities through a Local Fund model rather than by investors, the deputy minister said the existing framework already provides clear guidance.
He said Regulation 15(1) assigns responsibility directly to licence holders.
“Regulation 15(1) places responsibility on the licence holder to implement the Corporate Social Responsibility plan,” he noted.
Dr Kiruswa added that licence holders must observe established procurement procedures during project implementation.
“In implementing CSR projects, the licence holder is required to observe procurement procedures and may engage a contractor or any other person to execute projects contained in the approved CSR plan,” he said.
He further stressed that the CSR Regulations for mining licence holders, which came into force in June 2023, clearly outline stakeholder obligations.
“The CSR regulations, which came into force in June 2023, clearly spell out the responsibilities of all stakeholders to ensure that communities surrounding mining areas benefit from mining activities,” he said.
Dr Kiruswa concluded by underscoring the need for collaboration with local authorities, saying that “implementation of these responsibilities must be carried out by the licence holder in close collaboration with Local Government Authorities.”
