The government has stopped all mining operations in Migori County and urged machine operators and artisanal miners to obtain proper legal licences.
Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga and Regional Mining Director Joseph Boiwo collaborated in a joint operation across Nyatike and Kuria Sub Counties.
Their focus was on ensuring compliance with mining regulations. Those miners whose licenses had expired or who lacked proper licenses were instructed to obtain new ones. Additionally, immediate suspension of leaching processes was mandated.
The County Commissioner emphasized the necessity of adhering to constitutional regulations for the oversight of mining activities. He lamented the fact that a significant number of miners continued to operate without legal authorization.
Gitonga expressed that the government’s revenue generation and the miners’ protection from exploitative cartels depended on the establishment of a regulatory framework. He underlined the importance of maintaining compliance through proper regulation.
“Despite being informed about the need to obtain legal mining licenses, there are still miners and artisans operating unlawfully. To ensure adherence, we deemed it necessary to conduct a raid on illegal mining activities,” Gitonga explained.
Recent events led to the suspension of gold extraction at the Komire barrow site, which coincided with the ongoing construction of the Kisii-Isebania highway. This discovery had prompted residents of Rongo to rush for valuable gold stones along the highway, resulting in the interruption of road construction.
