Najib Balala to visit mining areas in Taita Taveta County

By Irine Majale

The Cabinet Secretary for Mining Hon. Najib Balala is set to start his official county visits in Taita Taveta on September 30 in a bid to familiarize himself with field mines.  

Speaking during a meeting with gemstone dealers, Balala said the county visits are important as they will enable him understand and analyze some of the critical issues facing local communities and small scale miners in the county.

Taita Taveta County has recently seen great developments in its mineral mining sector, with various developments on industrial minerals and gemstones.

Balala has announced his priority for the region as the need to establish gemstone cutting centres which currently lack in the region forcing miners to export raw materials to other countries for processing and value addition. 

‘’Currently, Kenya exports its raw minerals hence fetching diminished returns. The potential in adding value is therefore undoubtedly high and critical, we shall build a warehouse in Voi as a gemstone cutting centre so as to invest in our own people” said Balala

He added that through value addition, the value of the country’s exports shall increase tenfold and in turn earn government royalty values. Additionally, he  said value adding companies will employ additional personnel and contribute towards employment creation. 

The cabinet Secretary’s visit  and sensitization workshop for the small scale miners in the County is aimed at empowering them on the new mining act, besides seeking ways of addressing the miners’ challenges.   He is also expected to meet with local leaders to discuss ways of improving mining activities in the region.

The team of gemstone miners who visited the ministry of hailed the Cabinet Secretary’s efforts to put in place new legislation which they said will rid the sector of unscrupulous dealers who collude with foreigners to deny the country a lot of revenue and destroy the market.

The Cabinet Secretary noted that the Kenyan Mining Industry is currently undergoing massive transformation and appealed to industry players to support the government in its efforts to streamline the sector.