Maputo — The Mozambican National Mining Institute (INAMI) claims that the Christian Malanga, leader of last Sunday's abortive coup d'etat in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), did not have any license to mine minerals in Mozambique.

The INAMI reaction comes after it was found that Malanga and two American associates, Cole Ducey and Benjamin Polun, had opened three Mozambican companies in 2022, namely Bantu Mining, Global Solutions Mozambique and CCB Mining Solutions. These companies exist on paper, and their statutes were published in the official gazette, the "Boletim da Republica'.

These companies claimed they would be active in mining, building, security, education and health, especially in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

But it is one thing to publish a set of statutes, and something quite different, to start a mining operation, which would require licensing.

"The companies Bantu Mining Company Lda., CCB Mining Solution Lda. and Global Solution Moçambique Lda., all belonging to Christian Malanga and his American cronies, are not listed in the country's Mining Database', reads a statement issued by INAMI.

According to this document Malanga and his American associates have never submitted applications for exploration licenses to INAMI "and are not even registered as mining operators with the National Directorate of Geology and Mines in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.'