No presence of human activities save for the security operation order in place is allowed within the gold mining sites at Hillo in Marsabit County, the government has restated.
Marsabit County Commissioner (CC) James Kamau said government orders should be implemented without exception adding that anything to the contrary would attract swift and stern disciplinary action against law enforcement officers charged with the duty of enforcing the ban.
Mr Kamau expressed concern that cases of lives being lost at the mines were still being reported despite a gazette notice and successive directives by the Cabinet Secretary for interior outlawing the activity.
The CC who led the county security team and those from the sub-counties of Moyale and Sololo in a fact finding visit, was dismayed to see active mining sites pointing at lack of enforcement of the ban imposed in mid-march this year.
During the tour which also included the new county police commander (CPC) Leonard Kimaiyo, artisanal miners busy extracting the precious mineral were found but who escaped upon citing the security teams.
The CC directed that three formations with a multi-sectoral composition of security personnel from the Kenya police service, border patrol unit, Kenya forest service, the DCI, general service unit and the Kenya defence forces be established to enforce the ban.
He reiterated that the 13 mining sites in Dabel location remain disturbed and dangerous and advised artisanal miners and other mineral speculators to keep off the area.
“We cannot afford to continue to report failure in our duties” said the CC and warned that anybody found to facilitate illegal entry into the prohibited area will be relieved of their duties.
Mr Kamau asked officers deployed to the area to display nationalistic behavior by executing their mandate as expected.
He added that the ban on mining in the area was meant to protect lives, the environment and guard against loss of the precious national resource and ordered for the immediate closure of about 30 gold crashing sites that have shot up at Dabel trading center.
He asked the police to crack down on the operators of the crashing sites for contravening the government order and doing illegal gold mining.
“Nobody should make an attempt to access the prohibited area until further notice,” he cautioned.
By Sebastian Miriti
