The Sh60 million Voi gemstone value addition centre will start processing raw gemstones by March, the government has said.
Ministry of Petroleum and Mining acting director Evans Masachi told mining stakeholders that the centre is in the final stages of procuring key equipment to supplement existing ones.
He said equipment worth Sh12 million has already been procured and is awaiting delivery.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting at the centre on Wednesday, Masachi said thousands of artisanal miners in the region will get good returns once they start selling their gemstones through the centre.
He said the ministry is fully committed to making sure the centre is up and running.
The construction works for the facility started in 2015 and ended in 2017, but there has been little progress in the processing of gemstones since then.
It is one of the government’s mining flagship projects and the only facility in Kenya where value addition of minerals is to take place before miners sell their products.
"We hope by March next year the centre will be fully operational and that the artisanal miners in this region will benefit," he said.
Once open, the government targets to generate some Sh3 billion annually as revenue from value-addition to gemstones set for export, according to a report by the National Development Implementation and Technical Committee.
Masachi said it shall set the stage for the government's plan to improve the industry not only in Taita Taveta but also in the neighbouring counties of Makueni, Kitui, Kilifi and Kwale.
“The facility will provide a wide range of services, including stone cutting and polishing, a gemstone laboratory, a buying and action centre, and banking among others,” the director added.
Masachi said the facility will legitimise the trade in gemstones and curb smuggling of the precious stones from the mining areas which makes the government lose revenue.
The mining industry in Taita Taveta has for long faced the challenge of unlicensed small-scale miners who mostly dominate many parts of the mining zones.
They have been accused of selling gemstones to brokers and middlemen, thus making the market unstable.
Taita Taveta Deputy Governor Majala Mlaghui has now urged mining stakeholders to adhere to all rules and regulations including having mining licenses, for them to smoothly run their businesses and increase investor appeal for equipment and trade.
She said acquisition of mining licenses will enable both the county and national government to collaborate with the miners in developing the mining industry.
Mlagui said there is need for more cooperation between National and County governments to boost mining business and specifically enhance participation of women.
"We are working to ensure quality markets for our miners by supporting the sector through cooperatives as well as enhancing the trade and value addition opportunities in the sector,” she said.
Taita Taveta is endowed with numerous gemstones, including Tsavorite, ruby, chrome tourmaline, yellow tourmaline, red garnets, green garnets and Tanzanite. Others are manganese, iron ore, marble and limestone.
Hundreds of residents are languishing in poverty despite sitting on the tonnes of the minerals.
Mlagui said the move to operationalise the centre is long overdue saying artisanal miners were eager to use it.
-Edited by SKanyara
