•Artisanal mining means traditional and customary mining operations using traditional or customary ways and means.
•It is estimated that about 100,000 people are directly engaged in artisanal mining in Kenya with about one million drawing their livelihoods from artisanal mining activities.
Image: COURTESY
The Petroleum and Mining ministry has set up committees at the county levels to streamline small mining activities.
Cabinet Secretary John Munyes has gazetted artisanal mining committees in Migori and Siaya to formalise small scale mining, curb illegal mining activities and increase their contribution to the sector's earnings and Gross Domestic Product.
The six-member committees, with chairperson and secretary shall advise the representative of the Director of Mines in the granting, renewal or revocation of artisanal mining permits, in a three-year tenure with effect from the February, 15.
“The Ministry of Petroleum and Mining shall meet the costs of the committee,” said Munyes
Artisanal mining is done in small using traditional or customary ways and means.
The Mining Act allows the CS to establish a county office of the ministry and designate a representative of the Director of Mines who shall be the head of the county office and who shall report to the Director of Mines.
The officer shall grant, renew and revoke artisanal mining permits, compile a register of the artisanal miners and specify particulars that may be determined by the Cabinet Secretary and supervise and monitor the operation and activities of artisanal miners.
The Artisanal Mining Committee shall comprise of a representative of the Governor ,who shall be the chairperson of the committee, the representative of the Director of Mines who shall be the secretary, three persons not being public officers and elected by the association of artisanal miners in the county and a representative of the inspectorate division of the ministry.
Others are a representative of the National Environment Management Authority and a representative of the county land board.
It is estimated that about 100,000 people are directly engaged in artisanal mining in Kenya with about one million drawing their livelihoods from artisanal mining activities.
The industry is being backed to contribute to 10 per cent of Kenya’s GDP by 2030, with latest Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics data(Economic Survey 2020 ) indicating about Sh50.3 billion was gained from mining and quarrying activities in 2019.
Regions with artisanal mining activities include Kenyan coast, Mbeere and Tharaka which are known for gemstone mining while in the Western region, gold mining is a major community activity within Kakamega, Migori, Siaya, Trans Mara and Narok counties.
Last year, the government rolled out plans to establish a gold refinery in Kakamega as part of the efforts to upscale the informal mining sub-sector.
The ministry called for expression of interest for the establishment of the refinery.
Artisanal mining accounts for over 60 per cent of annual gemstone production in Kenya, where women and youth play a major role.
The small-scale miners have however for decades been exploited by middle-men due to lack of proper trading channels, what the government is keen to address with the new law.
They also face harassment , poor working environment, lack of proper protective gear and mining tools.