The government has put on notice Kenyans illegally mining 14 minerals declared as strategic last year.
The warning by Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Ali Joho on Sunday affects unscrupulous individuals prospecting, mining and dealing in the strategic minerals, particularly Copper, Coltan and Chromite.
Joho in a statement maintained that his ministry will not relent in protecting the minerals from illegal exploration and plunder by miners for their selfish gains.
“Despite the robust measures instituted by the Ministry to safeguard these 14 Strategic Minerals, it has come to our attention that unscrupulous individuals, in total disregard of the law, have been Prospecting, Mining and Dealing in Strategic Minerals, particularly Copper, Coltan and Chromite” he noted.
“…..This is hereby to notify the general public that anyone found dealing in such minerals against the provision of the Mining Act, 2016 and Strategic Mineral Regulations 2017 shall be dealt with according to the law” he warned.
He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to fully execute the reforms in the mining sector.
“This includes total protection of strategic minerals from merchants of impunity who are attempting to plunder our mineral resource through circumventing the law for selfish gains” he emphasized.
The ban has been contested by stakeholders who have appealed to the President to suspend last year’s Gazette Notice on the 14 strategic minerals.
The Chair of the Kenya Chamber of Mines, Patrick Kanyoro argues that the listing of the minerals was not professionally done and calls for wider consultation with the miners and policymakers.
Cobalt, Copper, Lithium, Niobium, Coltan, Tantalum, Tin, Tsavorite, Nickel, Graphite, Chromite, Thorium and Uranium are among 14 minerals gazetted last November as strategic.
