By Alloys Musyoka
Kwale residents want the parliamentary committee on environment and mining to ensure the proposed amendments in the 2023 mining act benefits locals in areas where mining are taking place in the country.
Base Titanium has been mining at Nguluku and Maumba since 2013 while exporting Ilminite, Zircon and Titanium minerals from the area.
This is after relocation of residents by Tiomin Kenya Company in collaboration with the national government where locals were paid Sh80, 000 per acre from 2006 to 2008 before Base Titanium mining company taking over.
While giving their views in the proposed mining act 2023 amendment at Mvindeni social hall the locals categorically rejected plan by the ministry of mining that wants community to be termed as residents within a sub-county instead they said affected community should be according to Environmental impact assessment report.
The parliamentary committee on environment and mining also collected views in Kwale for the proposed gold processing bill 2023 and amendment of 2023 mining bill that is introducing mining regulatory authority.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a critical examination of the effects of a project on the environment.
An EIA identifies both negative and positive impacts of any development activity or project, how it affects people, their property and the environment.
It also identifies measures to mitigate the negative impacts, while maximizing on the positive ones.
Elsheba Okech from Shimba Hills and a member if Kwale mining Alliance said that the EIA should be the yard stick to measure who is a community and not a sub-county as proposed.
They also want full involvement on matters around mining as well as fast tracking of mining proceeds to benefits communities before mining activities come to an end.
Locals had raised issue with the parliamentary committee leadership saying that many times their views have been ignored despite being majorly affected by mineral activities in the area.
In the proposed mining regulatory authority, Kwale residents said that one of members should come from locals especially disability group, a representative of locals relocated from mining areas and civil society groups.
Kwale County is among regions that have experience mining activities by base titanium mining company that is set to complete mining by December this year after depleting mining ores since 2013 when it started mining.
Rodgers Chimega from the ministry of mining said that views from Kenyans will form a very important part in the proposed gold bill and mining amendment bill 2023.
He said that the ministry is doing everything possible to streamline mining activities in the country.
The parliamentary committee led by Msambweni MP Feisal Badar and Kwale county woman member of parliament Fatuma Masito said that they will consider community contributions.
Badar who chaired the meeting said that Kwale contribution will be presented for considerations among other views across the country.
Kwale woman member of parliament Fatuma Masito lauded the mining cabinet secretary Salim Mvurya for transforming the mining sector since he took office forcing the parliament to increase its budget from Sh127 million annually to Sh4 billion in 2023-224.
She said the fund if well utilized will further transform the sector and ensure locals in mining areas and the country benefit.
