Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho and Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa have held a crisis meeting following violent clashes between police and gold-mining workers that left four people dead in Ikolomani last Thursday.
Six others including two police officers were seriously injured and admitted to hospital after protests erupted over a proposed gold-mining project valued at KSh680 billion.
The large-scale mining venture in Kakamega South has sparked resistance from local communities, who fear environmental, cultural, and social impacts if the project moves forward. Shanta Gold Limited, a UK-based mining company, recently announced the discovery of what it terms one of Kenya’s largest gold deposits in the region.
The consultative meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Mining PS Harry Kimtai, Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali, Kakamega County Assembly Speaker James Namatsi, Idakho Central MCA Archeadious Liyai, and Patrick Ligami, chairperson of the Kakamega Artisanal Mining Committee.
The leaders emphasised the need for comprehensive stakeholder engagement and strict adherence to constitutional requirements on inclusivity and public participation before the mining project is implemented.
They agreed to adopt a structured approach for the Shanta Gold project to safeguard the interests of all parties and ensure a mutually beneficial outcome. A unified communication strategy will also be developed to provide accurate and timely updates to the public.
A feasibility study by Shanta Gold shows the project would require about 337 acres of mostly privately owned land, potentially displacing roughly 800 households. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) indicates the confirmation of 1.27 million ounces of gold at the Isulu-Bushiangala underground site.
Prepared by Kurrent Technologies Limited in collaboration with South Africa’s Digby Wells Environmental, the report proposes an extensive underground mining operation in Musoli and Isulu, about 55 kilometres from Kisumu.
However, residents of Isulu, Bushiangala, and Musoli have formally opposed the project. In a memorandum to Nema, community members claim consultations were inadequate and raise concerns about environmental risks, cultural heritage, and potential disruption to local livelihoods.
“We object to the approval of this project because it is a private commercial venture, not a public purpose project, and therefore cannot lawfully acquire ancestral land without consent,” the memo reads.
Residents also argue that issues raised in an earlier petition submitted in July 2025 remain unresolved.
