Residents of the coal-rich Mui basin in Kitui county want the government to clarify whether it had shelved plans to mine the 400 million-ton deposits of the mineral.
On Friday, residents travelled many kilometres to Kitui town county headquarters to present to Governor Julius Malombe a petition titled, “Death certificate for coal.”
Although the coal area residents who were mobilised by the Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education NGO found Governor Malombe absent, they presented their petition to the chief officer for environment, David Soi Masai.
The executive director for CHRCE, Peter Mutemi, told the media after presenting the petition that, the Mui coal belt residents had taken a strong stand that the government should bury the plans to mine coal as it is hazardous.
“We wanted to meet Governor Malombe and give him the message to President William Ruto that the people of Mui coal basin are totally opposed to coal mining,” said Mutemi.
He said the residents of Mui coal belt live a life of anxiety and uncertainty as President Ruto had openly adopted double-speak on the matter of coal mining.
“Internationally, the President is advocating for the adoption of clean energy while back at home he talks about coal mining in Mui while we all know it is a dirty and poisonous source of energy.
“This double-speak is worrying and the reason for the petition to Malombe to take our message to our President so that the coal mining issue can become as dead as a dodo,” said Mutemi.
Mutemi said the Mui coal belt residents were in solidarity with the rest of the world through the 350.0rg banner in opposing coal mining in favour of renewable, clean and sustainable energy like solar and wind energy.
As they headed to the Kitui county headquarters, the Mui basin residents moved in a peaceful march carrying banners, flyers and placards denouncing coal mining.
As he received the petition Masai who was in company of the Kitui county chief of staff Khalid Ashur said that Malombe was keen to ensure Kitui people lived in a secure and clean environment.
He said that he would deliver the petition to the governor and was optimistic that he would act positively on it.
A concession for coal mining in Blocks C and D of the Mui coal belt was awarded to the Chinese Fenxi mining company in 2013, but mining has been in a limbo due to unexplained circumstances.
The coal mining has been dogged by opposition both locally and internationally after it was termed to be a harmful source of energy.
Human rights organisations and Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi who has part of his constituency in the Mui coal belt have not made secret their opposition to coal mining.
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