Plan to give firm gemstones prospecting licence in Taita Taveta opposed

TAITA TAVETA: Local leaders have reacted angrily to a plan to reopen an area in the county for exclusive gemstones prospecting by a mining firm.

A Gazette Notice No 9276 signed by acting Commissioner of Mines and Geology Shadrack Kimomo and seen by The Standard indicates that Messrs Rolling Hills Ltd had applied for an exclusive licence to prospect for gemstones in Kasigau location, Voi District.

"Notice is given that an application under section 18 (2) of the Mining Act has been made by Messrs Rolling Ltd for an exclusive prospecting licence to prospect for gemstones over an area and the said application has been accepted for consideration," the notice says in part.

It adds: "By virtue of the above-mentioned section of the Mining Act, the said area of land is therefore re-opened to prospecting and mining and by virtue of the section 7 (1) (d) of the same Act, the said area of land is excluded from prospecting and or mining except as regards any prospecting and mining rights granted in respect of the area or any part thereof before the date of this notice which are subsisting or any right renewal thereof."

However, the leaders, who included Senator Dan Mwazo, Woman Representative Joyce Wanjala Lay, Deputy Governor Mary Ndiga Kibuka and several members of the county assembly, vowed never to allow the company to mine in the region.

"The land earmarked for allocation is community land and we will not allow the locals to be deprived of their land," Mr Mwazo said.

Wednesday, Mwazo warned the Government to stop 'provoking the local community' who have for many years been deprived of their mining rights by powerful individuals who control the multi-billion-shilling sector.

"The Government wants to provoke the local community and we will resist attempts to allocate the land to the mining company," he vowed.

Speaking to The standard, Mwazo asked the county government to take legal action to stop the issuance of the exclusive prospecting licence.

PUT CAVEAT

"The county administration should go to court to put a caveat to stop the allocation process. There is no way people from outside can be allocated land without consent from the local community and the county government," said the former Cabinet minister.

Ms Kibuka said the county government had not been consulted on the issue by the Mining Ministry.

"We will not allow the land to be allocated to an individual without the consent of the land owners," said the deputy governor.

She added: "We are looking into the issue and the county government will take the necessary action."

Ms Lay said she had proposed some amendments to the Mining Bill to involve county governments in the issuance of mining consents, but her proposals were not incorporated in the final draft.

"My amendments that would have given county governments powers over natural resources like mining were thrown out by MPs and that is why we are seeing such problems emerging," she said.

Two members of the county assembly, Juma Mwambonu (Kasigau), Godwin Kilele (Sagala) and a miner, Mwandawiro Mbela challenged the Government to investigate the matter.

"There is high level of corruption at the Ministry of Mines headquarters. The Government should investigate how mining licences are being issued," said Mr Mbela.

Efforts to reach Mr Kimomo for a comment were fruitless as he was in a meeting.

The Standard was unable to establish the physical and telephone address of the firm and the county government said Wednesday it was still searching for the records and details of Messrs Rolling Hills Limited.

The notice allows anybody who may have an objection to the grant of the special licence to file it within 30 days from the date of its publication.