Broadcast copy: The price workers pay for mining salt in Lake Katwe

Story originally reported in the daily monitor by Joan Salmon & Alex Ashaba. Follow link to read original story: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/special-reports/the-price-workers-pay-for-mining-salt-in-lake-katwe-4819448

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NAT SOUND: Nassaka, 17 seconds

INTRO: Salt mining around Lake Katwe is a big business, but those who work mining salt face many health hazards. Godfrey Mugisa has this report:

GODFREY: Prolonged exposure to hazardous chemicals in the saline water of Lake Katwe has harmed the 300-thousand who extract the salt. None of the salt miners wears protective gear before stepping into the pans.

Some of the common ailments complained about include dehydration, chemically-induced burns, and infections. 

Halima Nassaka, a salt pan owner, said prolonged exposure to hazardous chemicals in the saline water has damaged miners’ skin. Besides skin irritations, there is a more silent problem that women salt miners have to deal with.

Nassaka said that working without protective gear leaves the women’s reproductive organs exposed. 

NASSAKA: “Some people develop patches on their legs because there is no oxygen in the water we work in. There is a lot of pain when you try to pull the skin on the patch. We advise our workers to drink four litres of water a day to avoid developing those patches.” 

GODFREY: There is a high rate of inflammation of the uterus among women who have worked for many years in these salt pans, Nassaka said. She cited the example of her mother and other 10 women who had their uteruses removed.

Dr. Ezra Namanya of the Nyahuka Health Centre IV in Bundibugyo District, confirmed that people frequently exposed to salty water during mining are at risk. They can develop various skin conditions, particularly on their legs. 

Continued exposure leads to dehydration of the skin, often affecting areas around the feet and hands. This results in persistent irritation.

John Bosco Kananura, the chairperson of Katwe Kabatooro Town Council where Lake Katwe is located, said salt miners lack protective gear and often complain of various illnesses.

To mitigate some of the effects on their health, the miners improvise protective gear, Kananura said. The men wear condoms or tie polythene bags around their genitalia before entering the salt pans. 

The women who can afford to, wear sanitary pads the whole day. Others improvise old pieces of cloth as pads or smear cassava dough on their reproductive organs before they enter the pans. 

Kananura’s concerns are shared by Eliphaz Muhindi, the LCV chairperson of Kasese District. He advised the government to explore advanced mining methods to improve safety conditions for miners. 

Lake Katwe is known throughout Uganda and the East African region for its substantial salt production. The lake has produced high quality salt for many years. However this entire process has put lives of women salt miners at risk.

On average, women miners earn between 7,000 shillings and 10,000 shillings a day. The earnings are too low to cover their daily family needs and healthcare needs.

This is Godfrey Mugisa reporting.

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