This archive report was first published on 29 June 2021.
Kenya's mining sector is set to breathe a sigh of relief after the State announced plans to lift a revocation order on dozens of mining licences. The move comes after a meeting between industry players and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining.
According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, the revocation order was issued in a Gazette Notice dated June 11, 2021, after the expiry of various mining licences. However, industry players have been using licences issued prior to the freeze or issuance of new licences in 2015, a move that was expected to enable the State to audit the licences.
Industry players, including the Kenya Chamber of Mining (KCM), have been pushing for the lifting of the revocation order, arguing that it would allow for an amicable resolution of the matter without the intervention of the courts. In a statement, KCM Chairman Peter Mwangi said, "Our main objective was to get the Gazette Notice suspended to allow dialogue and an amicable resolution of the matter without the intervention of the courts."
As part of the agreement, affected miners will be required to appeal to the Cabinet Secretary and provide a copy of the appeal notice to the PS and Director of Mines. Once an appeal is received, the revocation would be put on hold, allowing members to carry on with operations until due diligence is done by the ministry.
The 2015 freeze was compounded by a moratorium on the issuance of licences in November 2019 to enable the clean-up of government systems. According to Petroleum and Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Andrew Kamau, "The suspension was not punitive but was meant to bring sanity and order in the industry."
