A coalition of civil society groups have called for an immediate halt to gold prospecting and mining operations in parts of Kakamega, Vihiga and Siaya counties due to alleged flawed land acquisition procedures.

The civil society groups operating under the Haki Madini Kenya said a high-level fact-finding mission in the three counties revealed a grave situation in the affected communities with no evidence that free, prior and informed consent was obtained from the affected persons.

Addressing the media at Munungo village at the border of Vihiga and Siaya counties after a public meeting with some of the affected persons, the officials led by the Chief Executive Officer of Inuka Kenya ni Sisi said there were serious concerns regarding the integrity of the consent process.

“Cases where consent were obtained fraudulently, including instances where documents bearing the names of deceased persons were signed long after the persons died have emerged hence raising questions on the integrity of the exercise,” read a statement by the civil society organisations.

Haki Madini Coalition, which includes the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Community Initiative Action Group (CIAG) and Transparency International Kenya, among others warned of a “grave situation” unfolding in the affected counties, adding that the mining project is being pushed forward through systematic intimidation of local communities and the misuse of the criminal justice system.

A widow from Ramula in Siaya, Julia Okwaro, lamented that her deceased husband’s name was used to fraudulently get greenlight to mine on their ancestral land. Ms Okwaro who said her husband died many years ago wondered how the deceased rose from the dead, appended his signature to assent to the mining activity and return to the grave.

“He died a long time ago. We are in trouble. Our children are being beaten and there is nowhere we are going. If I move, where will I go?” she posed.

The civil society organisations called on the law enforcement agencies to stop suppressing those raising legitimate concerns and uphold their constitutional mandate to protect citizens.

They lamented that the recent skirmishes at Ramula trading centre where two lives were lost at the hands of the police who fired at the demonstrators opposed to the mass relocation of people to pave way for mining activities by Shanta Gold Company were unfortunate.

The skirmishes saw the deployment of the dreaded General Service Unit (GSU) which, the civil society organisations officials said, engage in communal punishment where everybody was beaten and harassed.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Philip Onyango