Wagagai hands Busia a 600-pupil school as mining leaders press for lasting benefits

A new primary school built to accommodate more than 600 children in Uganda’s Busia District is putting a practical question before the mining industry: what remains for a community after a mine stops producing? Wagagai Mining Limited has handed over the school and a church in Alupe Village, Mawero Town Council, according to Nile Post Uganda (direct).

The school has eight classrooms, a library, staff housing, a perimeter wall and a safe water source. It is intended for pupils from Primary One through Primary Seven. The facilities were transferred to Busia District Local Government and the Bishop of Bukedi Diocese at a ceremony bringing together public officials, religious leaders and mining representatives. Wagagai says the investment will widen access to education and social services.

Building beyond the mine

Nile Post reported an overall value of about 4.4 billion Ugandan shillings for the handover. Its account also gave separate construction costs of more than 4 billion shillings for the school and 700 million shillings for the church, which stands on the school grounds. Those figures do not reconcile in the report. The church is intended to serve the local Christian community.

Humphrey Asiimwe, chief executive of the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, praised Wagagai’s investment and urged other mining companies to build assets with lasting value for their hosts. He said the company, a chamber member, had recently been named Mining Company of the Year at the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference in Munyonyo, citing its environmental practices and community engagement.

Asiimwe’s message to mining companies: a mine may operate for 19 to 25 years, but investment in community facilities can leave a lasting benefit.

Gerald Banaga Baingi, chief executive of the Uganda National Mining Company, said people living where minerals are extracted should share in the benefits. He said every mining company must enter into a community development agreement with its host community. His argument placed local development alongside mining activity itself, rather than treating it as a separate concern.

A school’s success needs more than buildings

Banaga also set the handover against Uganda’s wider mining ambitions. He said minerals had once generated about 29% to 30% of export revenue, before falling copper prices and the closure of Kilembe Mines in Kasese weakened the sector. Mining now contributes about 1.2% to 1.5% of gross domestic product, the measure of an economy’s output, he said. The government has identified minerals, agriculture, tourism, and science, technology and innovation as priority growth drivers.

For Bukedi Diocese Bishop Samuel Bogere Egessa, the immediate challenge was making the school work for its pupils. He urged parents to ensure children were fed and supported, warning that good buildings alone would not deliver strong performance if pupils remained hungry. Busia District Chairperson John Charles Namayindi said the investment could serve successive generations of local children.

Wagagai administration manager Michael Zhong said the company would keep supporting education and infrastructure. He also pointed to agreements with universities and internships for graduates from Busia and elsewhere. The company says it has created more than 2,000 jobs, with Busia residents accounting for over half its workforce. The next development to watch is how its promised further support takes shape alongside the newly handed-over facilities.