Mining PS Harry Kimtai in Parliament on February 19 /ENOS TECHE
Gold mining is set to begin in Busia County, the government has announced.
Mining PS Harry Kimtai said the government has awarded mining rights to a private company to start extraction at Alupe in Teso South subcounty.
“Time has come for us to start mining our gold so that our people can benefit from it,” Kimtai said.
“We want to ensure the local community also benefits directly from this venture."
He said artisanal miners will have designated sites where they will also engage in small-scale gold mining.
Kimtai said the government is keen to address long-standing concerns about Kenyan gold being illegally mined and smuggled out of the country through porous borders.
He said complaints have been raised about illegal extraction of minerals by leaders and the public.
“We want to safeguard our minerals. I will dispatch a team from the State Department of Mining to assess and investigate claims of cross-border mineral theft,” the PS said.
He said the county government and the local communities will benefit from royalties earned.
The Mining Act 2016 provides that royalties earned from the gold extraction be shared on the basis of 70 per cent for the national government, 20 per cent for the county government, and 10 per cent for the local community.
Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, who accompanied the PS said the gold mining project will boost the county’s economy, provide employment opportunities and enhance infrastructure.
He welcomed the mining initiative and urged residents to work closely with the national government to attain more development.
“Collaborating with the government is the surest way to attract more development. We have already seen several initiatives such as road construction, market development, and elevation of Bumbe Technical to a national polytechnic,” Otuoma said.
He said the national government has advertised the building of a ring road from Matayos to Sio Port and is implementing a major Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project at Nasewa.
“These efforts are transforming the lives of our people. Let’s embrace these opportunities,” the governor said.
Kimtai appealed to residents to support the government’s development agenda, emphasizing that initiatives such as the Social Health Authority and improvements in education are designed to uplift all Kenyans regardless of their economic status.
