Mining companies operating quarries in Kilifi County are in trouble after the government revoked operating permits and licenses of fifteen companies for non compliance with mining regulations.
In Jaribuni area, at least 15 companies have seen their operations halted save for Victoria Engineering that committed to give back to society by tarmacking a section of the nine-kilometer Jaribuni- Dzitsoni road that leads to the quarries.
While issuing the directives after touring quarries in Jaribuni and Kalia Ng’ombe Kokotoni, Mining, Fisheries, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hassan Joho said that some of the companies had violated regulations and were using mining permits to operate instead of mining licenses which is against the law.
“The first violation I have seen is that people are using mining permits instead of mining licenses yet their operations are big. Mining licenses will require you to involve the host community and hence they hide in mining permits and I have stopped all the permits until they involve the community,” he said.
Joho who was accompanied by Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro and Acting Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimutai at Jaribuni area, launched the construction of one kilometer road by Victoria Engineering, allowing the firm to continue its operation and ordered the other firms to comply before they are allowed to continue operating.
Mung’aro said that he will only allow law compliant quarry operators to do business in Kilifi County for the benefit of residents.
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“We are working with CS Joho and we have met quarry operators and Victoria Engineering are the only ones that accepted to do us a road in Jaribuni but the rest refused and hence we have stopped them because their operations are causing untold health sufferings,” said Mung’aro.
At Kalia Ng’ombe and Kokotoni areas, Joho in the company of Deputy Governor Flora Chibule and Rabai MP Kenga Mupe inspected five quarries in the area where residents have for years complained of destruction brought about by the quarry activities that include physical injuries, cracked houses due to the blasts used to crack the rocks.
Residents and area government officials led by Rabai Assistant County Commissioner Ole Masaa said that 70pc of the houses in the area have developed cracks due to blasts in the quarries and demanded compensation from the firms before they could continue with their operations.
“We had a multi- agency team that went round to collect data on the destructions by the quarry operators and we prepared a report but none of the firms except Mombasa Cement has complied,” said Masaa.
Chibule and Mupe said that the blasts were emitting dust that had affected the health of residents with many suffering from breathing problems and respiratory diseases.
“Some companies have operated for more than 30 years but they have not even sponsored students to go to school. When the blasts happen, stones are thrown in the air and land on people’s homes causing destruction,” said Kenga.
By KNA
