Uis small miners seek removal of three directors

Renthia Kaimbi

A coalition of small miners and community members in Uis has formally petitioned the ministry of industries, mines and energy to remove three directors from the board of the Small Miners of Uis (SMU), alleging that the three women have held their positions since approximately 2010 without meaningful mandate renewal, financial transparency, or proper accountability to the mining communities they were meant to serve.

The petition names Helena Itamba, Aune Andreas, and Anna Daniels as the directors whose continued tenure, according to the signatories, has blocked governance reform and left small miners without representation or support.

The petitioners argue that the three directors have remained on the board for well over a decade while failing to convene Annual General Meetings, produce audited financial statements, or implement key provisions in SMU’s own founding documents.

They are now calling on the mines minister, Modestus Amutse, to initiate the immediate removal of the three named directors and to oversee a transparent process for appointing new representatives capable of advancing the SMU’s original objectives.