IG Kanja tours troubled goldmines in Moyale
The ban on gold mining remains in force, Kanja said
2mon agoCYRUS OMBATINews
At least four miners died from suffocation in an abandoned gold mining site in
Ruga village, Kowidi Location, Rachuonyo South, Homa Bay County.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon, police said.
During an unauthorised mining expedition, officials said the miners had ventured to the 900-foot-deep site without oxygen-supporting equipment.
The four men entered the mine, abandoned for three years, without first informing the owner for their safety.
Witnesses said there were five miners at the site and only four proceeded into the shaft, while the fifth man remained at the entrance.
“The deceased ventured into the mine without any tools or oxygen-supporting equipment, relying solely on a rope to descend,” Homa Bay County Police Commander Hassan Barua.
He said the fifth miner at the entrance noticed that the rope had stopped moving and, after calling out but receiving no response, realised something was wrong. He then raised the alarm.
Barua urged those interested in mining activities to always seek professional advice and ensure that safety precautions are in place.
The bodies were retrieved and taken to Rachuonyo South Sub-County Mortuary.
Such incidents have been on the rise at mining sites.
The government has been closing some of the sites as part of efforts to address the menace.
The government had ordered an immediate ban on unlicensed mining activities in the area.
They have been told to stop using heavy machinery at the sites.
These machineries make the sites weak and unsafe for the miners.
The majority of the gold mining activities are done by small and medium enterprise miners who have been exposed to unsafe practices in the mining extraction processes.
Those engaged in extracting the precious mineral have always defied government bans on mining, especially during rainy seasons arguing that it is the only activity in the region that enables them to put food on the table.
To manage the activities, the government has formed a police unit to also ensure compliance.
The owners of the mining sites have been ordered they be properly managed and covered.
The unit will also ensure even quarries are well managed for the safety of the locals. There are gold mining sites in Moyale, Migori, Kakamega, and West Pokot among others.
