A section of West Pokot leaders led by West Pokot Senator Julius Mugor have issued a stern warning to gold mining investors operating in the region, following a tragic incident that claimed the lives of four artisanal miners and left several others injured after a mining pit collapsed in the early hours of Saturday.
Mugor alongside Kapenguria MP Samuel Chumel Moroto, and former Governor John Lonyangapuo condemned the incident which occurred at around 2 am in Karon Village at an illegal mining site near Turkwel river and blamed it on the government’s inaction and investor impunity.
“Waziri anayehusika na mambo ya mining alikuja mpaka Seneti akasema hao ni watu haramu, na kama kweli ni haramu, nani anawapatia leseni za uchimbaji mpaka wananyanyasa wenyeji wa pale?” asked Senator Julius Mugor.
“Mimi nalaumu waziri na wale wanasaidiana naye kama PS, mimi mwenyewe nlienda kwa PS anayehusika nkamweleza karibu mwezi uliopita na angechukua hatua wakati huo hatungefika mahali tuko sasa,” Samuel Chumel Moroto, Kapenguria MP added.
Former Governor of West Pokot County John Lonyangapuo on his part accused some government agencies of siding with rogue investors at the expense of local communities.
The government is now under increased pressure as calls to suspend all unauthorized gold mining operations in West Pokot have increased since the incident.
This incident has sparked fresh concerns over the safety of gold miners especially in Western and Nyanza regions of Kenya where death cases have been reported on many occasions in the recent past as calls for lasting solutions intensify.
