Relatives and members of the public wait as rescue operations go on at the Museno mine shaft on February 4, 2025 in Shinyalu, Kakamega County .Eighteen miners have been rescued so far.
On Monday afternoon, Silus Esioba and 20 other artisanal miners in Musendo Village, Kakamega County, set off for yet another day of gold mining.
Little did they know that a shaft they had worked in for several years would collapse and trap them for more than 12 hours. At least one was confirmed dead and another one was still unaccounted for by Tuesday evening.
"I entered the shaft at 9am alongside my colleagues. By 1pm, after we had lunch, the walls of the mine suddenly caved in and blocked our way out. We had by then descended about 130 feet down," recounted Mr Esioba from his hospital bed at the Kakamega County General Hospital.
The 29-year-old man and the other 20 men who got trapped were part of a group of artisanal miners who had set out to construct shafts that would be used by other miners in their daily activities of scavenging for gold deposits in Museno village.
A gold mine collapse in Shinyalu, Kakamega County, has left several miners trapped and feared dead.
Esioba said that the shafts are usually constructed at intervals, horizontally at 10 metres and vertically at 10 metres, to enable the miners to move soils containing gold deposits with ease.
“At a distance of about 100 feet underground, the walls of the shaft broke loose, caving in from the point of our entrance. We were locked between the bottom of the tunnel and the closed roof of soil. I knew our lives had come to an end because it usually becomes difficult to breathe in such a situation,” he explained.
Family members and members of the public wait as the retrieval of 2 bodies of gold miners go on at the Museno mine shaft on February 4, 2025, in Shinyalu, Kakamega county.
He said he prayed, even as they communicated with the rescuers who had fixed a pipe through the debris to facilitate communication and access to oxygen.
Esioba was rescued together with five other miners on Tuesday morning at around 8am, 20 hours later, and rushed to hospital for treatment.
Weslaus Misango, another survivor, said the 12 of them were trapped in a small space for the entire period with no room for movement.
“We could not sit or turn even an inch. We were forced to remain in the same position for the more than the 20 hours we were trapped underground. It was horrible but by the grace of God we survived,” he said.
For Misango, a father of one, who has been working in the mines for the last three years, this was the second time he was involved in a similar accident. He had survived another mishap last year but managed to get out easily.
By 2.30pm, rescuers pulled out the body of one of the two miners who were still trapped, dimming the hopes of the families whose loved ones were still missing.
Mr Geofrey Matasi, 40, was among the eight survivors who were rescued immediately the shaft caved in.
Western Regional Resilience Team chairman Patrick Mukhule said the eight victims who were rescued soon after the accident occurred did not sustain any injuries.
"The accident occurred at around 5pm on Monday and rescue operations commenced immediately. We managed to rescue eight miners," said Mr Mukhule.
“On the second day, we rescued 10 other victims who were rushed to the hospital for treatment. But we are afraid that one or two of the miners who are still trapped may have died. We are moving on with the search and rescue mission determined to get the remaining victims even though the soil is very delicate.”
A gold mine collapse in Shinyalu, Kakamega County, has left several miners trapped and feared dead.
Dr Christian Lamba, the medical superintendent at the KCGH, said they received 10 patients from the collapsed mine.
“We attended to them and they are all in stable condition. Some of them are set for discharge,” said Dr Lamba.
But even as the survivors continue to recuperate, some of them vowed to continue with the activity despite the risks.
“This is the only job that puts food on my table. I rely on mining to educate my children and cater for my family. I cannot run out of it because of what happened,” said Mr Matasi.
Ms Maximila Tsisika remained a worried woman for the better part of the day after her nephew, Franklin Alulu, remained unaccounted for the entire period of the search and rescue operation.
“I am highly concerned that many of his colleagues have come out yet he is nowhere to be seen. It is seriously worrying me because he left behind a wife who delivered her third child two weeks ago. How will she survive if it turns out that he is dead?” she posed.
Maxmillah Tsisiki, mother to one of two feared dead miners waits as the retrieval of bodies goes on at Museno mine shaft on February 4, 2025, in Shinyalu, Kakamega county.
She recalled how they last met on December 13, 2024, and had a joyful stay when she visited his home.
Governor's call
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa called for enhanced safety measures in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, urging the national government to provide safety equipment and training to miners.
He emphasised the need for training on occupational hazards and environmental protection.
Mr Barasa, who visited the site, underscored the importance of mining as an economic activity that supports many local families.
“I join the families of those who are still trapped in prayers that they come out alive. Let us support the local rescue team that is working with the County Disaster Management team in the efforts to rescue the other two who are still trapped,” said Mr Barasa.
While acknowledging the challenges faced by the sector, such as unsafe mine shafts and environmental pollution, he advocated for support with equipment and financial aid to improve safety.
At what cost?
Kakamega County artisanal mining chairperson Patrick Ligami highlighted that mining sustains over 200 households, but regretted that the ongoing risks, including unsafe practices and exposure to toxic metals like mercury were harming miners and the environment.
“There is a need to empower the mining resilience teams to reduce the number of accidents in the minefields.
"Resilience is the best way that will control accidents among artisanal miners and the teams need to be supported by the government through training,” he said.
Kakamega County has one of the largest mining operations in Western Kenya with huge deposits of gold in areas around Lurambi, Shinyalu and Ikolomani sub-counties.
According to Mr Ligami, over 300 mining shafts are running in Ikolomani and Shinyalu sub-counties, giving a livelihood to 60 per cent of the households in Kakamega County.
Search to continue
Shinyalu Sub-county police commander Daniel Mukumbu said the search and rescue mission will continue until the last person is rescued.
"We urge residents to exercise patience and caution as the search mission continues. The area around the collapsed shaft is fragile and won't allow crowding near the area to avoid more cases," said Mr Mukumbu.
Miners in Kenya are exposed to dangerous situations and often die due to poor safety precautions.
Hardly does a month pass without artisanal miners in the county encountering a life-threatening incidence, sometimes leading to death.
In January, this year, three miners suffocated to death after a gold mine collapsed in Ikolomani.
The county has about 8,000 miners who are operating illegally exposing life and environment to danger.
A rescue operation went on with hopes to bring up two more miners who were still trapped after a 24-hour standoff in Emachifu village in Shinyalu, Kakamega county after the walls of a gold mine shaft they were constructing caved in.
