• The expansive twin park forms part of the mineral belt in the region.
• The region is rich in tsavorite, ruby, chrome tourmaline, yellow tourmaline, red garnets, green garnets and Tanzanite.
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI
The government is working on a policy framework to guide the issuance of licences to artisanal and small-scale miners.
This will give them permission to access precious stones in national parks.
Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs CS Salim Mvurya said the state is engaging mining stakeholders on how to capitalise on large minerals in the Tsavo National Park.
The stakeholders include artisanal miners' associations, cooperatives and the county leaders.
“We have identified areas with valuable minerals in our parks and we are talking with our stakeholders in the sector because we want to have a seamless and regulated mining activities in our parks,” Mvurya said.
He spoke on Monday during a mining stakeholders forum in Mwatate, Taita Taveta county.
The CS, who was accompanied by Tourism and Wildlife CS Alfred Mutua, said the new law will be a reprieve to hundreds of miners who have been pushing to acquire licences to mine in the Tsavo National Park.
The expansive twin park forms part of the mineral belt in the region.
The region is rich in tsavorite, ruby, chrome tourmaline, yellow tourmaline, red garnets, green garnets and Tanzanite.
Others are manganese, iron ore, marble and limestone.
The law is set to highlight key security action points to prevent possible environmental degradation, poaching and other vices that can destroy the protected areas.
“A multi-sectoral county task force will be incorporated into the national team mandated to formulate the framework and guidelines towards ensuring transparency and accountability in safeguarding the interests of the local communities,” Mvurya said.
CS Mutua assured residents the government is keen on supporting the mining community to create wealth through the extractive industry.
He said the framework will be a big help to small-scale and artisanal miners who have been locked out of the protected area.
“Only big mining companies have been allowed in the parks and this is not fair. In the new regulations, we are targeting giving an upper hand to the small mining groups,” Mutua said.
He asked the miners to form cooperative groups to ease issuance of licences and government support, among other government engagements.
The meeting was attended by Mining PS Elijah Mwangi, Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime and Senator Johnes Mwaruma.
Others were MPs Lydia Haika (Woman Representative), Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi), Peter Shake (Mwatate), John Bwire (Taveta), and Voi’s Khamisi Chome.
Governor Mwadime praised the Kenya Kwanza administration for accepting the community’s request to mine in the parks.
He said the devolved unit is banking on the county’s investment and development corporation (TTIDC) to market the region’s rich investment opportunities in mining and tourism.
“This is a vehicle which will make our county a top investment destination in Kenya by packaging and marketing investment opportunities to potential investors for sustainable exploitation in line with my agenda to end poverty and boost prosperity in every household,” Mwadime said.
Mwashako urged CS Mutua to fast-track implementation of the President's declaration that the county gets 40 per cent of Kenya Wildlife Service jobs.
Haika said the county is blessed with abundant natural resources, which have the potential to drive economic growth and uplift livelihoods.
"However, this potential must be harnessed responsibly, with a keen focus on sustainability and community empowerment," she said.