Kehancha: An environment and mining expert has called for tighter control on artisanal mining to protect the environment from significant degradation. At the same time, Mr. Mwita Omahe is advocating for stringent regulations for large-scale miners to ensure that their techniques are not harmful to the environment.
According to Kenya News Agency, in an in-depth interview with a KNA crew in Kehancha town in Kuria West Sub-County, Omahe highlighted the imminent danger facing Kenya’s environment due to ongoing haphazard mining activities across the country. He described the uncontrolled mineral exploration and extraction as an “environmental time bomb” for Kenya.
Omahe specifically pointed out the massive mining activities in Migori County, expressing concern over the destruction of the environment in the Kuria, Nyatike, Awendo, and Rongo regions, where gaping holes and pollution of lakes and rivers threaten the lives of local populations. As both an environmentalist and the Migori County Branch Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Omahe warned that uncontrolled mining also poses serious health risks to local people, exposing them to toxic substances like mercury and cyanide.
He noted that small-scale miners often lack the capacity to conduct environmental assessments, making their operations a health hazard for both current and future generations. Furthermore, Omahe claimed that Kenya lacks adequate personnel to monitor the mining sector, leading to numerous deaths and injuries from suffocation and collapsed mining shafts, particularly in Migori County.
Last year, more than twenty people in Migori County died after being buried alive in collapsed pits during mineral prospecting missions, with accidents attributed to poor mining methods. From Nyatike to Kuria West, Kuria East, and Rongo sub-counties, incidents of youthful prospectors dying in the mines are not uncommon, with large-scale prospectors accused of exploiting miners.
Omahe lamented that despite years in the business, small-scale miners have seen little improvement in their living conditions, often remaining in poverty and unable to provide for their children’s education and health needs. He stressed that the many dangerous pits left behind pose a significant threat to human lives and urged the government to enforce laws mandating their rehabilitation.
He also warned that the ground beneath the Kuria West Deputy County Commissioner’s office and the stalled Kehancha town stadium is at risk of sinking due to the extensive underground tunnels dug by artisanal miners searching for gold.
However, the regional mining officer, Mr. Joshua Boiwo, reassured that the situation is under control. Speaking from his Migori office, Boiwo stated that all laws governing mineral extraction and prospecting are being applied, with active involvement from stakeholders like the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and County Government Environment offices to ensure safety for the local population.
Boiwo acknowledged challenges in eliminating rogue players in the mining sector but emphasized efforts to ban miners who violate safety rules. He noted that those failing to implement proper waste disposal methods, such as tailing storage facilities for leaching, have been dealt with accordingly.
