At least four deaths have been confirmed within the Hillo mining areas in Moyale Sub-county of Marsabit County in the past four days as the authorities strive to ward off the illegal mining activity.
Moyale Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Benedict Munyoki told KNA that unauthorized miners in their hundreds have flocked the area, and they were trying to access the prohibited gold mines.
Munyoki added that some managed to sneak into the operation area and started excavating for the precious mineral, leading to four deaths after the mines caved in.
The DCC said three people died in the wee hours of Thursday night, while the fourth death occurred today.
One artisan miner also sustained critical injuries and is fighting for his life at the Moyale Sub-county Hospital, where he is hospitalized.
The government outlawed the unlicensed gold mining activities in 13 sites within Hillo in Dabel ward in March this year through a gazette notice by the Interior and National Administration CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki, citing state security, economic, and safety concerns.
Aliens in their hundreds from as far as Nigeria, the DRC, and Somalia had unlawfully migrated to the area, where they carried out unregulated gold and chromite mining valued at millions of shillings.
The proceeds were suspected to be sources of funding for criminal activities.
Through the gazette notice, the government declared the area as disturbed and placed it under security surveillance round the clock.
The recent deaths bring to 17 the number of lives lost at the mines this year.
By Sebastian Miriti
