We are better off with artisanal mining, Residents say

Siaya,

Wednesday October 11, 2023

KNA by Philip Onyango

The residents of Ramula sub location in Gem constituency, Siaya are living in fear of pending eviction to pave way for a gold mining project in the area, following reports that a recent exploration has discovered deposits worth more than a trillion shillings. 

Following the reports, the residents now want both the government and other stakeholders to come out and help quell the anxiety that they say was affecting development as nobody wants to spend money in an area that may soon be out of bounds to ordinary citizens. 

According to the residents, a report by Shanta Gold Limited reveals that gold deposits exist 300 metres underground within a radius of half a kilometer in Ramula. 

Speaking during a community engagement forum, residents, among them the retired head of Church of Christ in Africa (CCA) archbishop Habakkuk Onyango Abogno and former military official, Colonel (retired) Moses Adol lamented that the entire sub location will be no more should the government give the investor a go ahead to carry out open mining of the precious stone in the area.

“Ramula must remain Ramula and we do not want this project,” said archbishop Abogno adding that if anything, history has proved that areas that are turned into mining sites have never been put into other productive activities after the end of the excavation. 

According to retired colonel Moses Adol, the locals have for years lived peacefully with artisanal miners for years until recently when the reports came out, causing jitters amongst the populace. 

Adol fears that large scale mining will expose those living within Ramula and beyond to environmental hazards given the chemicals used. 

“Once you dig a hole beyond 100 metres underground, you will get to the water table and this will interfere with water sources around,” he said adding “It will no longer be a Ramula issue as it will affect people relying on rivers Dhene and Awach which will be poisoned.” 

His fears were supported by other residents, among them Jane Omwony and Goretty Owuor who maintain that if the precious metal is to be mined, then the locals must be allowed to continue exploiting their God given resource through artisanal mining. 

Miss Owuor says that small scale mining is the economic mainstay of the sub location and has helped reduce crime in the area as the youth are permanently engaged in the mines and have to time for illegal engagements.

A media team survey in the area revealed the existence of several small scale gold mines in the area, with both women and men; old and young busy looking for the precious metal. 

Any space suspected to have the commodity is dug, be it a home or even next to a grave as was witnessed in the home of the late Sylvanus Obimbo who was interred barely three weeks ago next to his wife, Rosa Obimbo who passed on seven years ago. 

The respect given to the burial sites in the past seems to no longer matter here as the miners go about their activities undisturbed. 

A recent announcement by Shanta Gold Ltd of the existence of commercially viable gold deposits in the area has seen the locals engage in endless consultations among themselves and with environmentalists and local leaders. 

Information available in the company’s website states that the 2023 exploration in West Kenya has prioritized the expansion of the drilling programme at Ramula and aims for new discoveries and increase in mineral resource. 

“In March, 2022, Shanta announced a maiden resource estimate for the Ramula target of 434 Koz grading of 2.08g/t which increased the total resources at our west Kenya project by a significant 37 per cent to 1.6 million Koz,” reads the report.

Courtesy; KNA