The Kayelekera uranium mine in Karonga, northern Malawi, is set to resume operations after more than a decade, following the issuance of a key radiation safety licence by the Malawi Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (AERA) to Lotus (Africa) Limited.
Mining is expected to restart by the third quarter of 2025, marking the end of an 11-year hiatus triggered by declining uranium prices and unresolved safety issues. Lotus (Africa), a subsidiary of Australia’s Lotus Resources, now controls 85% of the Kayelekera Uranium Project, previously managed by Paladin Africa Limited until its closure in 2014.
Lotus Managing Director Greg Bittar welcomed the radiation safety licence, emphasising the company’s commitment to protecting workers, communities, and the environment. However, AERA’s final inspection will only be carried out after mining operations begin. Additionally, Lotus has submitted its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), whose approval remains the final regulatory step before full-scale operations can commence.
In April, MEPA officials conducted a site visit and are currently evaluating the ESIA—seen as a critical document addressing past controversies, including environmental harm, lack of community engagement, and inadequate transparency.
President Lazarus Chakwera has intensified calls for greater openness in the mining sector. Speaking during the recent Mining Investment Forum in Lilongwe, he criticised mining officials for their silence regarding critical developments, including the Kasiya rutile discovery. Chakwera underscored the importance of treating the nation’s mineral resources as matters of national security, calling transparency the “best form” of protection for national interests.
His comments have reignited scrutiny of Kayelekera, a project once hailed as a milestone for Malawi’s economy but ultimately viewed by many locals as a broken promise. The mine’s initial launch in 2009 was met with high hopes, but by its 2014 closure, questions had mounted over radiation exposure, unfulfilled community benefits, and unclear financial arrangements.
Residents of Karonga remain sceptical. A civil society advocate, speaking anonymously, urged both government and investors to place community welfare at the heart of the project this time around, warning against a repeat of past disappointments.
Mining has been earmarked as a key component of the Chakwera administration’s ATMM (Agriculture, Tourism, Mining, and Manufacturing) strategy. But critics caution that without stronger legal frameworks and meaningful public participation, the sector risks benefitting a few while leaving local populations behind.
With the ESIA under MEPA’s review and AERA preparing for future inspections, both government and Lotus Resources now face mounting pressure to ensure the Kayelekera project delivers not just profits, but accountability and real benefits for Malawians.
