Kenya is intensifying its efforts to tackle illegal mining, which has significantly impacted the country’s natural resources, by collaborating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Ali Hassan Joho, speaking at the inauguration of the Mining Police Unit described illegal mining as a transnational crime.
“Kenya is rich in numerous mineral deposits across the country, but we are currently earning only about 1% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from minerals,” Joho stated.
Legal artisanal and small-scale mining contributed at least Ksh 30 billion to the Kenyan economy in 2023, accounting for over half of the country’s mining output.
The newly formed Mining Police Unit, comprising officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other government agencies, will be led by Hadi Ali.
To address illegal mining activities on the international black market, Joho announced that the government would work with Interpol to recover illegally mined minerals and prosecute those behind the trade.
Kenya’s collaboration with Interpol will include providing law enforcement agencies with technical support, expertise, and analytical tools.
Under Interpol’s Project ENACT, the initiative supports the establishment of analytical units within African police authorities, enabling real-time searches in Interpol databases.
Kenya’s mineral deposits include gold, copper, silver, lead, talc, titanium, manganese, zinc, nickel, chromite, pyrite, and rare earth elements.
Joho identified key mining hotspots, including Migori, Kakamega, Transmara, Nandi, West Pokot, Taita Taveta, Marsabit, Isiolo, and the Dabel area in northern Kenya, which is experiencing a gold rush.
He noted that substantial amounts of gold mined in Illo are sold illegally within Kenya, while some are smuggled into Ethiopia for transfer to the Middle East.
The Mining Act of 2016 recognizes the importance of artisanal mining to the sector and the country’s economic growth.
However, illegal mining activities led to a moratorium in 2019. After lobbying by stakeholders, the moratorium was lifted on October 3, 2023, accompanied by progressive reforms, including the closure of 3,000 illegal entities, a nationwide mineral geo-survey, a revenue-sharing formula, and the declaration of mineral smuggling as an economic crime.
Joho emphasized the government’s target to increase the mining sector’s contribution to GDP from the current 1% to over 10 per cent by 2030 through exploration, mineral development, and value addition.
To this end, the State Department for Mining is prioritizing mineral value addition to realize the full economic potential of the sector.
Key initiatives include the refurbishment and reopening of the Voi Gemstone Centre, which now houses trading booths for gemstone value addition and marketing. All gemstone trading has been directed to take place within the center.
Other projects include the Kakamega Gold Refinery, a granite processing plant in Vihiga, the revival of the Fluorspar factory in Elgeyo Marakwet, and the Kisii Soapstone Value Addition Centre.
Additionally, the National Mining Corporation has been established as the government’s investment arm in the mining sector. These efforts are expected to significantly enhance the contribution of mining to Kenya’s economy.
