BY DENIS AVOKOYWA
Gold mining in Ikolomani area, Kakamega County, has proved to be one of the deadliest economic activities that has left miners dead and others fighting for their lives with permanent injuries.
The famous Lirhanda gold corridor which stretches from Shinyalu in Kakamega County to Siaya County was discovered in 1923 at the roster of gold goldmines in Lurambi.
The gold mine activities attract residents as far as from Tanzania, Nyanza and Western region who converge to earn a living which is artisanal small scale mining.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, 32 people have lost their lives in the mines since 2003 to date.
The latest accident happened at Bushiangala in May 2021 when five people lost their lives and five others escaped with injuries when the mine caved in due to lack of support of the overlying rock mass.
Perished in the accident
Ernest Chimaisi, chairman of the Miners Sacco, regretted the incident as he remembered his workers who perished in the accident.
“They were very hardworking and I regret that they lost their lives while looking for a living,” said Chimaisi amidst sobs.
Jane Shimenga,mother to the deceased James Adavaji say that it was so unfortunate to see the only source of income claiming lives of people since of poor management of the mining process in the eyes of the government.
“I have lost a hardworking son. My only appeal to the government is to regulate the activity, train those involved, equip them with necessary equipment because closing down the mining will lead to crime and insecurity as many people depend on gold mining,” said Shimenga.
Metrine Khasoha, a widowed as result of the dangerous mining activity, is so sad and regretful to lose a breadwinner while working to put something on the table for his family.
Additionally, she says that her husband is usually the first person to get into the gold cave and coincidentally he was the first to perish, she urges the national government in conjunction with the county government to put in place good measures and policies to safeguard their lives.
“There is a need for a robust plan to balance the trick of earning a living and protecting people’s lives at the mining site to avert further deaths and accidents,” said Khasoha.
Jacob Mutua, Inspector of Mines in Kakamega said adits collapse due to poor construction, gas pipe used in a shaft leaked emitting carbon oxide, miners at some point drowned in a shaft, lack of fresh oxygen and sliding of soil in an open excavation are some of the major contributing factors to deaths.
Modern equipment
He said lack of modern and standard equipment and tools and environmental danger during the rainy season are other contributing factors.
He stated that most of the accidents being witnessed are due to poor workmanship, lack of standard tools and weather conditions especially during rainy seasons.
He also noted that the miners lack knowledge of mining which has led to the increasing number of accidents.
“Some of the miners lack basic knowledge and license to do mining. We have at least 80,000 artisan miners in Kakamega and stopping the activities will adversely affect their source of income,” said Mutua.
He added: “The gold mining activities need to be regulated so that as many people are depending on the activity as a source of income, the environment in which people work should also be given priority in terms of training and equipping people with necessary equipment.”
However, he asked the miners to stop mining whenever there is high rainfall as one way of avoiding accidents which are as a result of loose soil during the rainy season.
Crime and unemployment
At some point the County Government of Kakamega suspended the mining activity in areas of Ikolomani and Rosterman in Lurambi after it recorded several deaths citing unprofessionalism.
Kakamega Governor Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya while speaking at the scene of the accident assured locals that the County will work with the National Government to develop safe ways to guide mining in the County.
He said lack of modern equipment for mining is also a cause of the accidents, saying the process to identify an investor in the gold industry is underway.
“We have already allocated land for a gold refinery in the County. Several investors have shown interests in our gold and very soon we will have an investor who will modernize gold mining in the region,” said Dr Oparanya.
Locals said the mining is their only source of income which is largely artisanal mining and consists of 90% of the resident population who are engaged in the activity.
They said closing the mines will affect their source income fearing that this will cause poverty, increase in crime rate and unemployment.
Sh4,700 per gram of gold daily
According to Gedion Luvembe, a resident and miner at a gold mining site, the activity has created jobs for locals and outsiders since it is the only form of livelihood that people get direct and quick money at the end of the day.
He adds that even graduates who have unsuccessfully found a job have resorted to mining something people have embraced on their daily basis.
“If the government happens to ban this mining activity for sure, I am telling you the kind of resistance from the locals will be uncontrollable, because this is their only form of employment for the majority,” said Luvembe.
Kevin Adabwa, a local gold miner, says that the activity has reduced the number of crime in the area by offering job opportunities, something the government should support and not to castigate based on accidents that result from bad luck.
“The government cannot frustrate something that puts food on peoples table, imagine getting Sh4,700 per gram of gold daily. Yes, people die and the site has claimed our people but that is the cons and pros of this activity,” said Adabwa.