This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
On September 11, 2019, a multi-agency team led by County Commissioner Joseph Rotich cracked down on several mining and leaching sites in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori County, following a report by a task force formed by Mining Cabinet Secretary John Munyes.
The team, which included officials from National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Public Health and security agencies, moved from one site to another demanding production of various operating certificates by the big firms and artisanal and small scale mining groups.
Rotich said directors of H. Nuo Leaching Company were ordered to stop the firm's operations until they acquire an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate confirming their conformity to the existing environmental legislation in the country.
Three mining companies, Ready Consultancy Kenya Limited, Eris Processing plant, and Umoja Leaching Company, were all ordered closed for lack of requisite documents ranging from operating licenses, environment, health, and Kenya Revenue Authority licenses.
Rotich noted that some public land tracts had also been encroached by the many private firms and individual persons engaging in mining activities in the area.
They had also established the illegal existence of aliens from Tanzania, China, and other nations who are being employed in the mining firms to do jobs that can be effectively done by Kenyans.
Rotich emphasized that the crackdown will continue for the next one month to ensure that all the gaps already identified in the sector are fixed in all the mining spots in the region.
