Artisanal and small-scale miners in Migori have welcomed the move to gazette the Migori Artisan Mining Committee (AMC) mandated to issue mining licenses.
Speaking over the weekend after a consultative meeting with various mining cooperative Sacco’s officials drawn from the county, the National Chairperson of the Artisan and Small Scaler Miners Association of Kenya (ASMAK) Dan Omondi welcomed the move, saying that the gazetted committee will help to cure some of the issues affecting the mining sector in the county.
“The Migori Artisan Mining Committee gazettement will help the Migori county, which is rich with various minerals like gold and copper, to promote mining reforms like curbing smuggling and illegal mining,” he said.
Omondi said that the gazettement of Artisanal Mining Committees will be a long-term reform strategy that will help to improve inter-governmental collaborations in the mining sector.
The AMC members drawn from the two levels of government, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), Mining Department, Artisanal miners, and security agencies, amongst others, will play a fundamental role in advising and offering guidance to the representatives of the Director of Mines on granting, renewing, and revoking artisanal miners’ permits.
The official added that they were waiting for the national government through the state Department for Mining to fast-track the delineation of areas meant for artisanal mining activities before the issuing of licenses commences.
Omondi, however, was dissatisfied with the proposed County finance bill that aims to introduce new mining bills and levies.
“We are in total disagreement with the proposed County Finance Bill that aims to tax the artisanal and small-scale miners. We are already paying mining levies to the national government, and introducing any additional levies will be a double taxation to the miners,” lamented Omondi.
Migori County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Tourism, and Cooperatives Betty Samburu praised the Migori Artisanal and Small Scale Miners for forming Saccos to champion their collective mining agendas.
Samburu said that the county government was committed to ensuring that the county mining sector improves to generate income for the miners, and revenue for the county and national government.
She acknowledged that every mining stakeholder will be brought on board to help tackle collective issues affecting miners in the county.
Samburu also explained that the county will help to enhance and promote cooperative challenges that include governance and leadership.
She, however, praised the gazettement of the Artisan Mining Committee aimed at helping the county miners to operate in an organized way and work in alignment with the mining laws.
The County Official also disclosed that the Department of Cooperatives will ensure miners have access to funds from the county budget to boost their mining operations.
By Geoffrey Makokha