By Reporter
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has said communities living in mineral-rich areas must benefit directly from the extraction of natural resources.
He said the government will not allow investors to exploit Kenya’s mineral wealth without ensuring that local communities, landowners and county governments receive a fair share of the benefits to improve livelihoods and support their local development.
Speaking during a fundraiser at Moyeni Girls Senior School in Kinango Constituency, Kwale County, on Friday, Wetang’ula said President William Ruto had tasked Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho with ensuring fairness and equity in the mining sector.
The event was hosted by Kinango MP Gonzi Rai and attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and other leaders.
Speaker Wetang’ula said Kwale, which hosts Kenya’s largest titanium deposits alongside other mineral resources, stands to become one of the country’s wealthiest counties if its natural resources are managed prudently.
“We will not allow foreigners to extract our minerals, take away the wealth and leave our communities with open pits. Those exploiting our minerals must share the benefits with local communities, landowners and county governments so that the resources contribute to development,” he said.
He added that revenue generated from mining should support schools, roads, hospitals and other development projects in areas where the resources are extracted.
The Speaker also pointed to other economic opportunities in Kwale, including fisheries and tourism, saying ongoing investments would boost the county’s economy.
He cited the government’s construction of a modern fish market in Shimoni and other projects aimed at expanding business opportunities along the coast.
Wetang’ula criticised politicians who discourage foreign tourists from visiting Kenya saying such remarks undermine one of the country’s leading foreign exchange earners.
“Tourism creates jobs and supports thousands of families. Anyone telling tourists not to visit Kenya is hurting our economy and the livelihoods of our people,” he said.
The Speaker also called for national unity saying the Coast and Western regions have enjoyed longstanding political ties dating back to the late independence leaders Masinde Muliro and Ronald Ngala.
He urged Kenyans to reject politics based on ethnicity, religion and regional divisions saying every part of the country deserves equitable development regardless of voting patterns.
“We want every Kenyan to receive a fair share of development whether they voted for the government or not. That is the spirit of the broad-based government,” he said.
Wetang’ula urged eligible Kenyans to acquire national identity cards and register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election saying the current administration had removed unnecessary barriers to obtaining identification documents.
“In the past, many young people faced unnecessary questions before getting IDs. Today, obtaining an identity card is free and the restrictions that existed before have been removed. Every eligible Kenyan should get an ID and register to vote,” he said.
Quoting a famous political observation that “bad leaders are elected by good people who do not vote”, Wetang’ula called on citizens to exercise their democratic right by participating in elections.
Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani echoed the call, urging Coast residents to register as voters to increase the region’s electoral influence.
She said the region should raise its voter numbers from the current estimated 2.9 million to about four million before the next General Election.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya highlighted several national government projects underway in Kwale, including the long-awaited Kwale-Kinango-Samburu Road, whose construction he said had begun after decades of neglect.
He also cited the Mwache Dam project, the development of Kinango Market and the Affordable Housing Programme as key investments aimed at transforming the county’s economy.
Mvurya urged residents to register as voters, saying the Coast had the potential to produce up to four million voters and should use its numbers to strengthen its political influence.
“We must prove those who claim the Coast has no voting strength wrong by registering in large numbers and participating in elections,” he said.
