Kwale leaders want say in coal prospecting within county

KWALE, KENYA: Kwale County leaders want full involvement in the coal prospecting being carried out in Mackinon Road ward in the county.

Last week Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala and top geologists in the ministry claimed that exploratory studies have found evidence of huge deposits of coal in that part of Kwale county besides areas of Kilifi and Taveta counties.

"It is unfortunate that the CS of ministry of mining came without caring to inform the County Government of his visit. What we stand for as a County is the national Government to involve us 100 per cent and no short cuts." Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya aid.

"As a Government we have responsibilities over the people of Kwale County, we have to be accountable to our people as this project takes off. We therefore want to work together with the national government and discuss the benefits to our people as well," added the Governor.

The governor cautioned that the County has already had a bad experience where leaders have been left out and the citizen fail to know the benefits that they ought to get from such big investments, and this mistake should not be repeated.

He rallied all county leaders to stand firm to ensure that everything regarding the coal mining is done in the right manner.

Mvurya's statement was reinforced by Kinango MP Gonzi Rai who said, the people of Kwale have the right to know what and how they will benefit from the coal business. "It will be unfair to run such a business without county leaders. It is high time County leaders and the citizens get involved in these kind of affairs because they are directly affected."