One hospitalised as Kakamega gold exploration flawed by cloud of controversies

A group of youth working at the Kakamega Rostaman gold mining site. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The idea to explore gold deposits in the Isulu-Bushangala area of Kakamega County has been marred by a cloud of controversies as locals clash over the plans.

There are fears that the exploration exercise will lead to the relocation of residents.

As a result of the opposition, fears are that the region risks losing from the Sh171 billion gold deposits as local politics take centre stage at the expense of economic interests.

A meeting convened to unite the two opposing groups of residents, the Shanta Gold Company and Ikolomani Security Committee was interrupted by an armed group of youths who left one person nursing injuries.

While one group led by area Member of Parliament Bernard Shinali supports the exploration plan, another group led by Senator Boni Khalwale have opposed the plan and any activities conducted by the gold company.

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The Boni Khalwale faction wants Shinali to disengage himself with Shanta Company alleging that the company has plans to relocate them from their ancestral land.

While demanding that the exploration company make public their license, the opposing group further said Shanta should come out and clarify claims that the exploration will lead to the relocation of locals to an unknown place.

“We have seen other investors in Rosterman like Stones of Wealth of Ahmed Salaa Jama building schools, health facilities and digging water and we don’t have a problem with it but we want assurance that we will not be relocated and that our people will get employment and developments,” said one of the residents who spoke to The Standard.

Ikolomani Sub-County Deputy County-Commissioner Geofrey Mayama said the youth who disrupted the meeting injured one person whose land is being used by Shanta Gold Company for exploration and feasibility studies.

He was admitted at Shibwe Hospital in Ikolomani stating that police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.

“The meeting was meant to resolve burning issues among residents with the company and we have good leads on those who disrupted the meeting and attacked innocent people and we are going to arrest them. What we know is that Shanta is not mining gold but exploring and that is what we want our people to know,” said Mayama.

Philipa Hutchinson, one of the investors of Shanta Gold Company said their mission is to conduct a feasibility study and not mining nor relocating people.

In 2020, the Shanta Gold Company identified the village of Isulu-Bushiangala as a potential gold mining centre.

Isulu-Bushiangala is along the Lirhanda Corridor and was discovered to have 1.31 million ounces of gold deposits valued at Sh171 billion by Acacia Mining, a British company that explored the area.

Due to the nature of the gold deposits, many investors have come on board, a move that has divided the local leadership and the community.

The controversy has seen several people lose their lives while others left nursing injuries as a result of clashes.

According to the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Mining Elijah Mwangi, Shanta Gold Company has been licensed to carry out exploration and not mining.

On April 19, 2024, Senator Khalwale held a public participation forum in Isulu, Ikolomani where he led the residents in demanding that Shanta suspend its operations and vacate the area for not helping the community.

However, on April 23, Ikolomani lawmaker Shinali organised a different public participation forum at Isulu village where a section of residents supported the company’s exploration activities.

Lirhanda Corridor stretches from Kakamega through Vihiga, Siaya, Busia, and Kisumu counties.

Shanta Gold estimates there could be gold deposits worth $2 billion (Sh293 billion), along the Kakamega-Busia gold belt, which covers at least 1,160 square kilometres.