The Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs has launched a public participation exercise in Marsabit County to gather community views on three draft mining bills and sensitize residents on existing regulations.
The legislative framework under review focuses on three critical areas including mineral value addition, safety, and explosives.
During a public workshop held in Marsabit Town, ministry officials also sensitized local residents on the legal procedures for acquiring operational licenses ahead of the planned reopening of the Hillo gold mines in Moyale Constituency.
The forum was led by Francis Mutisya, the Director of Human Resource Management and Development in the State Department for Mining. Addressing the participants, Mr. Mutisya emphasized that the government’s primary objective is to elevate the value of minerals produced within Kenya to maximize economic returns.
“The aim is to ensure that both the nation and local communities benefit more through revenue sharing, job creation, and the sustainable growth of the mining sector,” Mr. Mutisya stated.
The ministry’s technical team educated the community on the provisions of the proposed Mining Bills while collecting feedback and recommendations to help refine the final legislation.
Despite the government’s collaborative approach, local small-scale miners used the platform to voice pressing grievances.
Mukhtar Intalo Guracha, the Secretary General of the Hilo-Dabel Artisanal Miners Union in Moyale, warned that steep licensing costs threaten to marginalize local operators.
“The cost of licenses for artisanal miners is prohibitively high. If left unchanged, these costs will lock small-scale miners out of benefiting from their own local resources,” Mr. Guracha said.
Mr. Guracha also appealed for more widespread public sensitization forums to ensure all residents fully understand the licensing processes and can meaningfully contribute their views.
Furthermore, he raised a security flag, noting that despite the government’s previous directive ordering the immediate closure of the Hillo gold mines, illicit mining activities have continued unabated under the radar.
The Ministry of Mining has assured stakeholders that it will review and incorporate all public inputs and grievances before finalizing the bills for parliamentary transition.
