KISUMU, Kenya, Mar 20 — Mining Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has ordered the closure of all mining sites near public facilities.
CS Mvurya has directed artisanal miners carrying out such activities near schools, hospitals and other amenities to shut their operations.
Speaking in Kisumu on Wednesday, he said mining activities must be conducted in line with the rules and regulations in the sector to deter haphazard activities that ruin the environment.
“We had a situation in Baringo where an investor was mining within his compound, we closed it immediately,” he said.
He said as much as the government is encouraging investment in the mining sector, all such activities must be done within the law.
The CS noted that any mining activity must adhere to the rules set out by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) among other rules.
“The government will not allow mining to become a very disorganized sector,” he said.
Enforcement
Mvurya who presided over the launch of artisanal miners’ cooperative societies drawn from Nyanza and Western regions, noted the creation of a police unit at the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs to deal with illegal miners and enforce the directives.
He said the unit was created as a result of the new mining laws to protect the country’s mineral resources and also crack down on illegal mining and smuggling.
The CS announced that the unit has been equipped with vehicles and other resources to ensure they hit the ground running.
“Because the cabinet approved the creation of the new police unit for the mining ministry, the officers have reported, and they will move to the ground to help us curb illegal mining and smuggling,” said Mvurya.
He noted that the country has immense potential in the mining sector but much of it is being smuggled thus denying the country the revenue it deserves.
“The reforms we are employing will yield fruits and make our country top among mineral-producing countries in the world,” he said.
Mvurya said the Ministry is organizing the artisanal into cooperative societies to be able to fetch from investments being made by several investors in the country.
