Senators have issued a seven-day ultimatum to foreign nationals accused of conducting an illegal gold mining operation along River Yala, ordering them to leave the area and intensifying pressure on the government to tackle unlawful extraction activities.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Speaking during a Senate session on Wednesday, August 5, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale alleged that Chinese nationals were carrying out illegal gold dredging in the river and accused local administrators of shielding the operators.

He called on Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo to direct local government administrators to stop protecting the foreigners.

“I want to tell the PS in charge of security, Raymond Omollo, to instruct assistant chiefs and chiefs to stop protecting those foreigners, because at the end of seven days from today, those foreigners will not be allowed to be in that river,” Khalwale said.

📌 What You Need to Know

The ultimatum follows recent allegations that a dredging vessel has been extracting gold from River Yala without a mining licence, environmental approvals or legal authorisation to operate in the waterway.

Mining PS Harry Kimtai had previously stated that officials would visit the site to verify the claims and take action against anyone found violating court directives.

However, the gold mining operation has reportedly continued despite earlier arrests, court proceedings and government commitments to enforce sector regulations.

Senators described the alleged activities as evidence of continued failures by state agencies to safeguard Kenya’s natural resources from illegal exploitation.

Bungoma Senator Wakoli Wafula expressed concern that foreign nationals were benefiting from mineral resources at the expense of local communities and legitimate economic opportunities.

Further, West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor raised alarm over increasing cases of illegal mining in his county, saying the discovery of gold had led to the mushrooming of unregulated mining sites and the diversion of river channels.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke