How Mungiki has taken over mines

Green Garnet Two mining site that belong to Bridges mining explorations in Taita Taveta county.The mining has been stop for a while due to the new mining license act and regulations that will include the renewal of existing licences for 2017.This was 14/4/2017.Photo by Edward Kiplimo

Shiny green stones stand out from a white piece of paper on Gabriel Mcharo’s broad desk. His office measures just about two metres by two metres and the huge wooden desk behind which he sits takes up most of the space. Three visitors’ chairs sit against the wall. Next to the chairs to Mcharo’s left and up against the wall stands a larger than average fan that violently pushes out the hot, humid air of Voi town.

“This is green garnet, one of the most valuable precious stones on earth. People have died because of this,” Mcharo, the chairman of Chawia CBO, which operates the mines at Mkuki on behalf of the county government, says.