21st September 2016
By Elisha Otieno
The national government will spend Sh3 billion to map out mineral sites in the country, Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu has said.
Speaking during a tour of gold-mining sites in Migori County, Mr Kazungu said the exercise will help the country identify all the minerals within its borders.
“The process will begin immediately because the cash was factored in the current financial year,” said Mr Kazungu.
“This exercise will enable us to discover all the minerals within our borders.
“Mining is set to become the bedrock for Kenya’s planned industrialisation programme,” the minister said.
The CS revealed that the money will be spent during phase one of the project.
“We are going to start with Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Kakamega, Busia and in other neighbouring counties where huge deposits of minerals are still lying undiscovered,” he said.
The minister, who was accompanied by Migori Governor Okoth Obado, said engineers will also survey all the mining sites in the country with a view to making them safer.
“We will also introduce modern mining equipment especially to the artisanal miners to avert deaths that usually occur in the tunnels.
“We will also assist them in selling their gold in order not to be exploited by greedy middlemen,” added Mr Kazungu.
He said the national government, in collaboration with other partners, will train miners on safety.
“We will also carry out an assessment on environmental degradation with regard to mining activities. Protection of environment is our first priority,” said Mr Kazungu.
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