Small-scale miners at the Msasa mine in Runzewe, Geita Region, were dispersed by police on January 22, 2026, using tear gas, following a commotion over the distribution of gold revenue at the mine.
The strike, which small-scale miners have dubbed the 50–50 strike, began at around 9:00 a.m. Witnesses estimated the number of participating miners to be at least 5,000. The protest stemmed from opposition to a revenue-sharing arrangement between individuals who were awarded licenses for the mining area and the small-scale miners operating there.
The miners were opposing a distribution agreement that required them to surrender 50 percent of their earnings to the license holders. They argue that small-scale miners were the ones who initially uncovered the mining area, while the license holders were awarded permits afterward.
According to the Mbogwe mining office, operations at the site began as a “gold rush” toward the end of 2025. Mining activities were carried out under two parallel arrangements: license holders worked directly in one section, while small-scale miners were allowed to operate in another. However, there was no formal agreement governing this arrangement.
The strike emerged after license holders attempted to introduce contracts within areas occupied by small-scale miners. Some site owners refused to sign the contracts, citing disagreements over ownership structure and revenue sharing.
Several videos had circulated on social media of people running, as explosions were heard in the background, which were later confirmed to be tear gas. The police explained that no arrests were made during the incident. The Bukombe District Commissioner also emphasized that police did not use live ammunition to calm the situation.
“On January 22, 2026, at around 9:00 a.m., in the Msasa area, Runzewe West Ward, Bukombe District, disturbances occurred that were caused by an estimated 1,000 small-scale miners. These miners were prevented by mine security officers from entering the mining area due to poor safety conditions, including pits filled with water following ongoing heavy rains, as well as some pits containing unexploded blasting charges,” Police detailed in their statement.
“Following this restriction, the miners instigated violence by throwing stones with the intention of harming the mine supervisors, and they also blocked the main highway from Bukombe to the neighboring countries of Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda by placing logs across the road. They were demanding to forcefully enter an area which, according to the security assessment, was dangerous to their lives and to the lives of others,” the statement from police read.
Following the incident, a team has been formed to investigate the situation. The team includes small-scale miners, the Federation of Miners Association of Tanzania (FEMATA), and representatives of the government.
