Joho seeks Kakamega MCAs help in controversial Sh683 billion gold project

Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho during Kakamega MCAs induction on the legal framework for the extraction of natural resources and petition processing. [Bernard Lusigi, Kakamega]

The government, through the Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy, has appealed to Kakamega Members of County Assembly to rally locals through available legal frameworks to support the controversial Sh683 billion gold project in Ikolomani Constituency.

The MCAs were inducted on the legal framework for the extraction of natural resources and petition processing.

The induction forum, held in the County Assembly chambers, was attended by Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, who rallied the MCAs to be at the forefront in championing gold mining in Ikolomani.

“As leaders, we should start thinking about how Kakamega County Government can increase its own revenue collection so that this county achieves a budget surplus to initiate development and transform the livelihoods of our people,” said Joho.

The CS noted that Kakamega County stands to benefit Sh6.8 billion from gold mining in the Isulu-Bushiangala area. 

"I am assuring our local artisanal miners that their businesses would not be extinguished when Shanta Gold begins operating because artisanal miners are protected by law. They have the right to mine, too," he said.

"The government has elaborate plans to support them by establishing aggregation and market centres and the government will protect artisanal miners from being exploited by middlemen," he added.

The Assembly Speaker James Namatsi said the induction will enhance MCAs’ skills in petitioning management, equipping them with practical knowledge while upholding principles of fairness, procedural integrity, and public trust in institutional processes.

Kakamega MCAs during induction on the legal framework for the extraction of natural resources and petition processing. [Bernard Lusigi, Kakamega]

"The induction underscores the importance of continuous capacity building of legislators, so that they are well-informed to provide oversight, protect community interests, and ensure that resource extraction processes are conducted in a fair, lawful, and sustainable manner," said Namatsi.

Mining Principal Secretary Harris Kimtai, said the induction aims to engage and build capacity of the people’s representatives.

The move comes barely three days after the County Assembly conducted public participation on two public petitions challenging the extraction of gold by Shanta Gold Company from Isulu-Bushiangala.

During the petition hearing at Malinya Stadium in Ikolomani Constituency before the Assembly’s, Environment, Water, Natural Resources, and Climate Change Committee, majority of locals faulted government and Shanta Gold Limited Company for rushing the process without conducting proper civic education and addressing locals concerns and interests.

The locals also cited environmental hazard and impact on the community as one of the main concerns which has not been addressed making them oppose the project besides failing to address the fate of artisanal miners.

Nixon Murabwa, one of the petitioners, explained that the lack of civic education for the affected communities undermines legal provisions for public participation and infringes on the fundamental rights of the people.

"We need proper and adequate public participation to be done, we are opposing the habit of government and Shanta Gold Company of rushing and bulldozing things. Locals must be engaged because it is stipulated in the law, we need to be told what will happen and our views must also count," said Murabwa.

John Isiaho, one of the landowners accused government and Shanta Gold Company of engaging brokers instead of affected people, saying that they will only pave way for the multi-bilion project if their concerns are addressed in an open and consultative manner.

"It is so wrong for the government, Shanta Gold Company and few individuals to purport that they want to have a project that will change the fortunes of Kakamega people and yet they are doing things in secret, forcing and engaging brokers in the name of public participation when the real people are not being engaged then how will they get to know the real and pertinent issues and solve them and we demand them to be sorted before the project kicks off," asked Isiaho.

"We have not been told what will happen during and after the project, we are yet to know the environmental impact of this project, the fate of those set to relocate and the artisanal miners. We are against the way things are being done in a hurry and in secret, as this points to something sinister," he added.

Washington Onyango, an official from Shanta Gold Company, said that they are fully engaging with the community in Isulu-Bushiangala.

“Our goal is to foster trust between the community, government institutions, and private sector actors while promoting sustainable solutions that safeguard both livelihoods and environmental protection,” said Onyango.

Patrick Mukoshi, the chairperson of the Kakamega Miners Cooperative Union, encouraged Ikolomani residents to remain open to engagement and dialogue with the company.

 The Chairperson of the Environment, Water, Natural Resources, and Climate Change Committee in the Kakamega County Assembly, Ali Okomba said they will submit the report on the public participation in 15 days.

"We have listened to locals concerns and as a committee we will give out our report, which we promised to be fair, in 15 days, and the report will be tabled in the House for deliberation," said Okomba.