Kakamega County Assembly is bracing for a heated debate as Members of the County Assembly (MCA’s) prepare to hear petitions that could redefine the future of gold mining in Kakamega County.

Speaking during a sensitisation workshop in Kisumu for Members of the Kakamega County Assembly by Shanta Gold Limited, a company that has been prospecting for gold at Isiukhu-Isulu- Bushiangala area in Ikioloman constituency, Speaker James Namitsi confirmed that he had received two petitions and called for those with more views to come forward.

During the workshop held in Kisumu and attended by Principal Secretary for Mining Harry Kimtai, the leaders voiced strong concerns about Shanta Gold Company and insisted that community rights, environmental safeguards and fair compensation must be legally guaranteed before mining commences.

This comes against the backdrop of discovery of gold in Ramula-Mwibona in Siaya and Isulu-Bushiangala deposits in Kakamega that heralds one of Kenya’s most ambitious mining that is estimated at 1.27 billion ounces valued at about Ksh680 billion at the Ikolomani site.

Isukha South MCA Charles Misiko Lwanga demanded for production of geospatial maps, showing proper geographical coordinates by the company. He raised concerns that a number of foreign nationals had infiltrated the gold mining business in the area and that they were using dangerous chemicals to clean the gold and draining the waste into river Yala that has led to death of fish and other aquatic plants downstream.

Idakho South ward MCA Stephen Mukhala stressed that compensation must prioritise the value of the land given the valuable minerals underneath. Others insisted that the best way for compensation for landowners should be land to land otherwise some may consume money and later remain landless.

The speaker underlined the importance of structures public participation and unity among the leaders, otherwise they may not realise the benefit of the valuable minerals.

“It will be good if we can go back to the ground through a very good public participation process that will make our people understand the importance of this project,” he noted, urging transparency and grassroots involvement.

The principal secretary pledged that the government will organise for another public participation, regretting the last December incident where four people were killed after chaos erupted. He said that strict enforcement of mining laws must be adhered to by all miners to protect water sources, agricultural land and biodiversity across the mining area.

Kimtai said artisanal miners, who have long relied on small-scale gold extraction, are also at the heart of the government programme and all of them will be registered and licensed to weed out illegal one.

During the debate issues of legal frameworks are expected to dominate assembly discussions. Mukhala argued that royalties alone, currently set at three per cent are insufficient to guarantee equitable distribution of mining proceeds.

“In other countries that started mining earlier like Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, their rates are much higher. Why should this be the case given the now hard economic times,” he paused.

Kimtai pledged government support and assured stakeholders that land compensation will follow legal valuation procedures based on land value, not mineral value.

“Under the constitution, minerals belong to the people of Kenya and must be shared equitably for sustainable development. We are going to engage with the community and everything will be done according to the law,” he said.

Shanta Gold Company is targeting to acquire 337 acres in Isiukhu-Isulu-Bushiangala in Ikolomani to commence underground tunnel mining from 2028.

The Kimtai said once all partners come to an amicable agreement, Shanta Gold Company will be granted a mining license for 25 years but added that the mining exercise will last only eight years. He said the law has made mandatory for the mining companies to reclaim the areas after mining and ensure they are restored to an environmental friendly area before evacuation. 

As the county assembly prepares to deliberate, stakes are high as the outcome will determine whether Shanta Gold mining in the county will proceed or not.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Geofrey Wang’anya