Sh2.5b iron ore mining to kick off in Tharaka

By Peaceloise Mbae

Tharaka Nithi, Kenya: The Tharaka Nithi county government is to kick off a Sh2.5 billion mining project with the help of Chinese investors in Kithiori, Tharaka South district.

The project in the iron ore-rich area will, however, only start after the county assembly passes the Mining Bill.

Governor Samuel Mbae Ragwa said the Bill would spell out a revenue sharing formula between the county government and the mining firm.

“We must ensure that the Bill clearly states how the revenue will be divided between the county government, the mining company and the residents,” Ragwa said.

Mining law

The governor said they wanted the processing to be done in the area so that locals can benefit from employment and supply of services to the investor.

Separately, former Tharaka MP Francis Kagwima said Sh2.5 billion was inadequate for the project and urged the county government to specify whether extraction, cleaning, smelting and production would all be done in the area.

The governor said they were keen to have the law passed to prevent a repeat of the Turkana oil mining problem, which he attributed to failure to specify the sharing criteria.