The Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy Hassan Joho has allowed the reopening of the Dabel Gold mining site in the troubled Marsabit region.
In a meeting attended by leaders led by Marsabit Governor, Muhamud Ali, the Principal Secretary (PS) for Mining, Elijah Mwangi delivered a message on behalf of Mining CS, Joho, calling for a speedy implementation of the roadmap towards re-opening of the Dabel gold -mining sites.
In the meeting, the PS also commissioned, the earthmoving equipment including shovels, graders and excavators that will be redeployed in the rehabilitation of the already mined areas.
The PS reached a consensus with the regional leaders and settled on three key agreements.
Joho allows the resumption of mining of Gold in Marsabit
These agreements included the following.
- Immediate and total backfilling of all mining pits and shafts in the area to eradicate rampant illegal mining in the troubled zone.
- The County will demarcate and set aside areas dedicated to artisanal mining operations. The county will also set up social amenities and related infrastructure to support the resumption of mining in the area.
- The National government through the Mining department allocates areas for artisanal miners in marketing cooperatives with a provision for future expansions for more artisanal miners. The reopening of Dabel Gold Mines will be guided by how quickly the above processes are done.
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The leaders also pledged their commitment to the action plan. Communities and artisanal miners also presented a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), committing to abide by the resolutions contained therein.
Government orders indefinite closure of gold mining in Marsabit
The meeting comes months after the government ordered the indefinite closure of gold mines in Marsabit with immediate effect over security concerns.
On March 12, a violent confrontation over control of a gold mining site in Marsabit County resulted in three fatalities and eight injuries.
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The conflict began when two miners from different ethnic groups in a neighbouring country argued over a significant gold discovery, which escalated into a broader clash.
The Orofani Hilo gold mine, located near the Kenya-Ethiopia border, is one of several sites that have drawn many young people seeking to earn a living by mining gold.
According to officials, these sites contain deposits that generate gold worth millions of shillings each year, which is subsequently processed and sold.
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