Balala ignores Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu, appoints taskforce

Mining cabinet secretary Najib Balala addressing the media on the court battle they have had with Cortec company on 20/03/15 [PHOTO/JENIPHER WACHIE/STANDARD]

Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has appointed an eight-member task force to investigate the controversy surrounding ownership of the Kishushe mining site in Taita Taveta County.

Speaking in Mombasa on Sunday, Mr Balala (pictured) said the formation of the taskforce was occasioned by wrangles over the ownership of the land that had led to the suspension of iron ore mining in the area for the last three years.

It is not clear why the CS appointed the task force barely days after Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu wrote to inform him that the said dispute had been resolved.

"I am pleased to inform you that the long standing confusion of the true boundaries of various land users in Kishushe area has finally been concluded. This is after recent efforts by a committee that was carefully constituted by a resolution of the county political leaders," said the governor in a letter to Balala dated June 10 this year and seen by The Standard.

The Standard established that the county carried out a two-day survey to find out the location of Wanjala Mining vis-aviz Kishushe Ranch, Kishushe Adjudication Section and Oza Ranch.

Mr Mruttu said in the letter that the survey department had also compiled and presented the overall picture of "real and imagined" boundaries within Kishushe.

Balala however now says the row would be investigated afresh by a ministry-appointed task force saying the standoff had hindered the extraction of the mineral and resulted in the drop of iron ore prices by over 150 per cent.

HISTORICAL ISSUES

"The prices of iron ore have dropped from a high of 200 dollars to a low of 45 dollars. The Government is concerned that these disputes affect, not only Kenya as a country, but also the people's livelihood," said Balala in a statement.

He said that task force would advise the ministry on issues surrounding mining at Kishushe area in Taita/Taveta County to enable him to make a decision.

The task force to be chaired by Ibrahim Khamis would also identify legality and legitimacy of claims by interest groups and their leaders, the historical issues and claims, boundaries and issues causing conflicts between the mining communities and miners.

Mr Khamis unsuccessfully contested for the Mombasa gubernatorial post on Balala's Republican Party ticket in 2013.

Other members of the task force include representatives of Taita Taveta County government, National Land Commission, an official from the Commissioner of Co-operative Development, Ministry of Industrialization and experts from Taita Taveta University.

Balala said the appointment of the task force  took effect from  July 27 and is required to submit its report to the Commissioner of Mining by October 30.

The CS said the Government could not afford to allow the disputes to continue given local communities and leaders have not been able to resolve it.

He said the membership of the task force had been appointed from representatives of the mining community, the county as well as the relevant Government agencies.

The task force would be tasked to document and review the organisation of mining communities within the area to identify legitimacy and legality of interest groups and their leaders.

It would also review mining boundaries and claims on the same and establish their legitimacy and legality and document the history and status of mineral rights holders in the area.

"The task force would also identify and make findings on issues underlying conflicts," said Balala.