Kakamega: A coalition of civil society groups has called for an immediate halt to gold prospecting and mining operations in parts of Kakamega, Vihiga, and Siaya counties due to alleged flawed land acquisition procedures. The civil society groups operating under Haki Madini Kenya said a high-level fact-finding mission in the three counties revealed a grave situation within the affected communities, with no evidence that free, prior, and informed consent was obtained from the affected persons.
According to Kenya News Agency, addressing the media at Munungo village at the border of Vihiga and Siaya counties after a public meeting with some of the affected persons, officials led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Inuka Kenya ni Sisi CSO stated there were serious concerns regarding the integrity of the consent process. They reported cases where consent was obtained fraudulently, including instances where documents bearing the names of deceased persons were signed long after the persons had died, raising questions on the integrity of the exercise.
The Haki Madini Coalition, which includes the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Community Initiative Action Group (CIAG), and Transparency International Kenya, warned of a 'grave situation' unfolding in the affected counties, adding that the mining project is being pushed forward through systematic intimidation of local communities and the misuse of the criminal justice system.
Julia Okwaro, a widow from Ramula in Siaya, expressed her distress, lamenting that her deceased husband's name was used to fraudulently approve mining on their ancestral land. Okwaro questioned how her husband, who died many years ago, could have signed the consent for mining activities on their land, expressing concern for her family's safety amidst the ongoing issues.
The CSOs urged law enforcement agencies to cease suppressing individuals raising legitimate concerns and to uphold their constitutional mandate to protect citizens. They expressed regret over recent skirmishes at the Ramula trading centre, where two lives were lost due to police action against demonstrators opposing the mass relocation for mining activities by the Shanta gold company. The deployment of the General Service Unit (GSU) was also criticized for engaging in communal punishment, affecting the entire community with beatings and harassment.