Joho faces big test in executing State's mining agenda in Coast

Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho. Opposition against the government’s mining agenda in Coast is mounting. [File, Standard]

For a man whose political mantra is ‘wapende wasipende’ (whether they like it or not), Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho is facing a herculean task in pushing the government’s mining agenda at the Coast.

Joho has deployed both carrot and stick to navigate the intricate politics in the extractive industry that many of his predecessors have failed to unlock.

Opposition against the government’s mining agenda in Coast is mounting. From the hills of Taita Taveta to the shores of Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale, locals and some politicians are opposed to Joho’s plans.

His critics say the CS, like his predecessors, Salim Mvurya and Najib Balala, who hail from the Coast, underrated the intricate political landscape and complex local community dynamics in the sector.

Like Joho, Balala and Mvurya were appointed CS Mining at the peak of their political careers at the Coast but were unable to use their political capital to unlock the mining sector in the region.

But Joho’s backers say the CS is a victim of past misdeeds by the government that sowed suspicions among residents and leaders.

In Kwale, the planned extraction of the estimated Sh8.1 trillion rare earth and niobium mineral at Mrima Hill is emerging as the new flashpoint in the high-stakes mining industry.

For the past week, Joho has faced strong opposition from local leaders and residents in his attempts to initiate dialogue over the extraction of the Mrima Hill minerals.

In one of the consultation meetings, some leaders, led by Kwale Deputy Governor Josphat Chirema, walked out of a session in protest, accusing Joho of bulldozing the deal to award a licence to an American firm.

Chirema, an ally of Sports CS Salim Mvurya, angrily walked out of a meeting of Kwale leaders addressed by Joho at the Kenya School of Government in Matuga, Kwale.

Earlier, Joho had told the meeting he was only laying the ground for public participation and that concerns raised by residents and stakeholders would be addressed. Locals are questioning the ownership of the US consortium interest in the minerals at Mrima Hill.

Chirema, Pongwe–Kikoneni MCA Omar Mwaduga and Vanga MCA Yusuf Mbwana accused Joho of attempting to force local leaders to accept the mining deal without adequate public participation.

“We cannot sit in a meeting where leaders are being intimidated and denied a chance to air the concerns of the people they represent. This process is flawed and disrespectful to the leadership of Kwale County,” said Chirema as he stormed out of the meeting.

Analysts say mining activities in Kwale, and in Kenya in general, have long been plagued by corruption, political maneuvering, the dispossession of communities living on mineral-rich land and widespread human-rights abuses.

Community Forest Association member Jackline Muriithi said residents wanted all gaps identified during the titanium mining by Base Titanium at the nearby Maumba area addressed when a company is finally identified to mine at Mrima Hill. 

“Relocation is a big issue for all of us, and this requires the county and national government leaders to come to the ground, meet the people at the grassroots and ensure them that they will get full benefits,” she said.

Former Principal Secretary Hamad Boga says that the problem is that Kwale leaders fear engaging the government for the benefit of the locals.

“This disengagement from leadership hindered Kwale’s ability to negotiate stronger benefits for its people and to influence investments,” he said.

Under the Mining Act of 2016, mining companies were required to establish Community Development Agreement Committees (CDACs). Base Titanium allocated one per cent of its gross sales to the CDAC.

However, due to the absence of strategic leadership and a clear vision at the county level, Prof Boga says the funds had minimal lasting impact on local development.

In Taita Taveta, the ministry of mining is also on the spot for issuing Devki Group of Companies permission to extract iron ore for its Sh11 billion steel plant without consent from ranch owners.

The Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society board of management said the government issued the prospecting mining licence to Devki without its consent.

The board has vowed not to allow Devki to extract iron ore from its 60,000-acre ranch for its smelting plant expected to start operations late this month at Manga near Voi town. 

Ranch chairperson Matilda Walegwa and other ranch members have accused the Ministry of Mines and Blue Economy officials of regularising illegal consents.

The ranch officials called for the immediate nullification of all illegal mining consents and removal of illegitimate investors from the mining cadastre, which is riddled with corruption.

- Additional reporting by Patrick Beja and Renson Mnyamwezi