Alarm over rising violence in scramble for Ikolomani gold mines

At least one person has been killed, several others injured and property destroyed as two groups continue to clash over mining sites in Ikolomani constituency, Kakamega County for months.

The wrangles that erupted in June, this year, have persisted with artisanal miners from Isulu-Bushiangala sites accusing Shanta Gold mining company of engaging in mining when it was licensed to conduct exploration of gold deposits in the area.

The coming of Shanta Gold Limited has caused tension within the Isulu, Musali, Shikangani, Makata and Lunelele areas where local miners seeking to control the mining sites are opposed to its activities.

The agitated miners have on several occasions raided sites where the firm mounted its equipment and confronted its workers to vandalise its equipment.

They are also up in arms against landowners who lease out their land for Shanta Gold activities.

They claim the Gold mining firm was taking rocks containing gold deposits from Ikolomani to Ramula in Siaya county where it has a gold refinery factory.

"We have our own gold mining factory worth Sh1.2 billion being constructed at Lidambitsa and yet the Company wants to mine our rocks and take them to Siaya. How will the people of Kakamega benefit?" questioned Mr Eliud Luyundi, Secretary-General of the Isulu-Bushiangala mining committee.

The Isulu-Bushiangala corridor in Ikolomani is said to contain Sh171 billion in gold deposits with several mining sites that have attracted a huge number of youth who are scavenging for gold for a living.

Attack

The latest clash happened on the night of October 1, 2024, when a gold processing site in Ikolomani was raided by a gang that set on fire equipment of unknown value.

Workers at the site reported that the gang of about five men raided at 9pm armed with guns and other crude weapons and injured four guards before vandalizing the machines belonging to Shanta Gold Company.

On September 13, skirmishes erupted at Musali area in a series of clashes that have affected the sites in the area amid calls by authorities for amicable discussions.

Solution

A meeting held on September 2, 2024 resolved that the agitated locals give Shanta Gold time to complete its exploration which is at its tail end.

Two weeks later, the locals sought a permit to conduct peaceful demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with the activities of the firm.

Kakamega South Deputy County Commander Mr Geoffrey Mayama said the disgruntled group had sought a permit to hold peaceful protests but the protesters violated the laid down procedures and became rowdy.

“They raided the home of Mr Ligami and seriously injured him. They vandalized some equipment including mobile phones and that is how the police officers came in to quell the skirmishes,” he explained.

A team of police officers rushed to the scene and contained the violence.

Tear gas smoke, gunshot sounds and injuries marred the Musali, Isulu mining sector as the police dispersed the marauding protesters who were allegedly targeting machines by Shanta Gold that were erected in the home of Mr Ligami.

Kakamega South sub-County Police Commander Maasai Makau said Mr Ligami, the injured, was rushed to Shibwe sub-County Hospital for treatment.

“We have crucial leads of the people who masterminded these skirmishes. We will follow up on them to ensure they are arrested,” said Mr Makau.

Mr Mayama said the chaos broke out after a group of miners raided the home of Eric Ligami where Shanta Gold had mounted its equipment for ‘gold exploration’.

“There is a longstanding conflict between the Isulu community and the Shanta Gold Mining Company. We have had several meetings to arbitrate between them but some members of the community are relying on distorted information that they will be evicted by the mining firm. This is what is causing all these battles,” said Mr Mayama.

The administrator defended the investor saying its mission was to conduct a feasibility study in the area to know the amount of gold deposits within the Lirhanda corridor.

"At this time Shanta has not made a decision to evict people or start mining. What they are doing is a feasibility study before we have more engagements," said the DCC.

Politics and economic interests

Activities at the Isulu-Bushiangala corridor where the gold deposits were discovered are on the verge of breaking down as politics and economic interests take center stage.

Local politicians have also found themselves in the mix of the wrangles as they are said to have differed on whether to side with Shanta Gold or the local community.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali have been clashing over the Shanta Gold activities.

The two leaders have been organizing different public forums in the area with senator Khalwale leading a group of residents opposing activities by Shanta Gold while Shinali on the other hand, is leading another group supporting the initiative of the investor.

A section of the residents defending Shanta Gold from being evicted accused Senator Khalwale of inciting the local community against the investor.

“Shanta Gold has given jobs to local youth and women who are earning from its activities. But Mr Khalwale is fighting the firm because of vested interests. The government should hold him to account,” pointed out Mr Hillary Ikamili, a resident of Musali, an area with vast gold deposits.

Also in the mix is a local investor Mr Mohammed Abdi of Stones of Life multi-million gold processing company that is said to be competing with the firm.

Stones of Life is not only expected to create over 3,000 job opportunities but also help in boosting the region's economy. Already, the investor is offering training opportunities to gold miners to empower them on safety mechanisms and renovating infrastructure in schools.

Small-scale artisanal mining has supported thousands of families across Kakamega and Vihiga counties for years. Some of the miners are killed when the walls of the sites collapse.

Isulu-Bushiangala was discovered to have 1.31 million ounces of gold deposits valued at Sh171 billion by Acacia Mining, a British company that carried out exploration in the area.

Shanta Gold estimates there could be more gold deposits worth $2 billion (Sh293 billion), along the Kakamega-Busia gold belt, which covers at least 1,160 square kilometres.

The National Government has launched the construction of a Sh5.8 billion gold refinery plant that would pave the way for establishing Kenya’s first modern gold refinery in Lidambitsa area of Ikolomani, Kakamega County.

In April, the then Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Mining Salim Mvurya promised that the first-of-its-kind gold refinery is set to be operational by June next year to become a game-changer for the gold sub-sector in Kenya.

The venture, which is being undertaken by a foreign investor, H-NUO Kenya Company, will benefit thousands of artisanal miners across the country who have been mining the valuable mineral manually with inherent dangers.

The government is also planning to construct a state-of-the-art mineral testing laboratory in the county to boost the efficiency and quality of mineral mining and value addition.

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