The collapse of an illegal gold mine in which five lives were reportedly lost on Tuesday at Hillo in Moyale sub County of Marsabit County has sparked outrage among locals who now want the government to be decisive in order to halt the killings.
Residents, including Golbo ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Edin Adhi Dida, expressed concern over the ongoing loss of lives despite the government’s ban on mining activities.
Five artisanal miners lost their lives and five were critically injured after a mine collapsed in the hillomining belt, despite the area being declared a security and disturbed zone.
The Members County Assembly reported that five miners’ whereabouts are unknown, with concerns about their potential trapped in the curved mine.
Local pastoralist communities are concerned about the environmental damage caused by outlawed mining activities, which have resulted in the destruction of hundreds of acres of pastureland and trees.
The government banned minning activities in Hillo, a region with 13 sites rich in gold and other precious minerals, including chromite, earlier this year.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s warning of disturbed and dangerous mining sites was reportedly breached, resulting in over 40 deaths and a 24-hour security watch.
According Dida, thorough investigations into the illegal mining activities that continue to rob the government of the much needed revenue and the local community’s income and development was urgently required.
The MCA criticized the government’s disregard for gazette notices in Hillo and Dabel, citing fatalities and revenue theft, and urged for swift mining activity streamlining.
By Sebastian Miriti
