The government has revoked 50 mining and prospecting licenses in Turkana County as many investors were not following the correct procedures set in place.
As a means of enhancing mining potential in Turkana, the Cabinet Secretary Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs-Kenya, Salim Mvurya said the government had to intervene to ensure safety standards were met while investors were handling their mines.
Mvurya added that the government has trained and gazetted an artisanal mining committee that would issue permits to small-scale miners, as well as quarry operators.
“I am glad we have agreed to work with the county government on matters of licensing, we have gazetted and trained the artisanal committee for Turkana which will be giving permits for small-scale mining activities including quarries. We are doing all these to harness the potential here,” Mvurya said.
Registration of artisanal miners
The Cabinet Secretary assured that the national and county governments will work together on licensing of miners in the region.
“We shall organise and register more artisanal miners and incorporate them into cooperative societies for training and access funding. This is a new revolution and reforms we have come to announce in Turkana,” Mvurya stated.
During a visit to Lodwar earlier in the month, the cabinet secretary noted that some mining licenses had expired and needed to be revoked.
There was a request for mining and prospecting licenses to be reapplied for by investors because some had acquired them without following proper procedures.
Turkana, land of minerals
Mvurya has previously mentioned that Turkana is rich in minerals, including gemstones, industrial minerals and gold deposits, which can be exploited to benefit the country and improve the livelihoods of the people.
The Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, ordered the closure of all small illegal artisanal mining sites across the country on March 2024, in a bid to ensure that safety measures were adhered to.
“To ensure regularised artisanal mining that meets public safety and environmental standards, the Government has banned all artisanal mining activities as well as unlicensed commercial mining,” Mvurya said.
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United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party secretary general Cleophas Malala says plans to fold Kenya Kwanza parties are still ongoing.
Malala says the ruling UDA party is making headways in convincing Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to fold their parties and bring their troops to UDA.
“Our government is keen to ensure that we bring everybody on board. As a party (UDA) we have been mandated to talk to other like-minded parties within Kenya Kwanza and even outside. The process is ongoing and we are talking to our brothers from the Amani National Congress, Ford Kenya and other affiliate parties,” Malala said.
“The talks have hit a high note. In the coming days, you will realize that we have made headways in terms of negotiating with our sister parties within the Kenya Kwanza alliance so that we form a big political movement.”
Ruto’s plea to ANC, Ford Kenya
In March, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula rejected an overture by President William Ruto to fold their political parties and join UDA after an invite to the State House.
The President had summoned Mudavadi and Wetangula with their ANC and Ford Kenya allies to State House on March 2 hoping to convince them to fold up their entities ahead of this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations to be held in Bungoma.
ANC Secretary General Beatrice Adagala confirmed that they had turned down overtures by the president for them to fold up their parties.
“Yes it is true there was something like that, but this is not the time for dissolving political parties but to work for the electorate,” she said.
The President is reported to have said that a declaration by the two on Madaraka Day that they have dissolved their political outfits to join UDA would give him some political mileage.
“It is my wish to have a strong political party with a national outlook that is headed by one party leader, one secretary general and chairman representing the face of the country,” the President reportedly told the parties at State House in March.
