Gemologists oppose bid to allow mining in Tsavo National Park

Gemologists have opposed the proposal by the government to allow mining activities in Tsavo National Park.

They said mining activities in the wildlife-protected area will negatively impact the environment, wildlife conservation and tourism activities.

This came as the government moves to enact laws and regulations that will guide how residents living adjacent to parks would access the conservation areas for mining.

"Failure by the miners to rehabilitate mining pits could be one of the challenges and cannot only endanger wildlife and environmental conservation but might also have devastating effects on tourism activities in the country," said Marvin Wambua, a gemologist.

"It should not be misconstrued to mean that we are against local miners being allowed to extract gemstones in the park. What we are concerned about is the welfare of wildlife and interference of its habitat that might escalate persistent human-wildlife conflict," he noted.

The county is situated within the Mozambique Belt, which is one of the key geological features of Africa.

The county has gemstones, such as Tsavorites (green garnets), red garnets, ruby, blue sapphire, pink sapphire, green tourmalines, yellow tourmalines, rhodolites and kyanites.

The Tsavo region, which forms a large part of the county, is the main gemstone mining area and small-scale mining operations.

Wambua said environmental and wildlife sustainability has to be given considerable attention before mining is allowed in the parks.

Mining regulations have been subjected to public participation to allow the implementation of President William Ruto's directive to allow Taita Taveta residents to access the park for gemstone mining.

The Head of State made the declaration on July 23, 2023, when he attended an interdenominational prayer service at Mwatunge grounds in Mwatate sub county.

Ruto promised that the county would benefit from the wildlife and mining resources before the end of last year besides allowing local residents to mine in the vast Tsavo National Park.

Other promises included 50-50 per cent sharing of revenue collected from the park.

"There will be 50-50 per cent revenue sharing of revenue collected from the park between the county government and Kenya Wildlife Service, and my directive will be implemented this year," he said.

Speaking during a two-day Gem Summit organised by the Mining Ministry and the Kenya Chamber of Mines in Voi town for artisanal miners in the region, Ruto said that mining in Tsavo is restricted to a few powerful individuals from outside the region who have been enriching themselves at the expense of locals.

Pastor David Zowe, the artisan miners chairperson, said that they do not have mining locations and prospecting rights to extract minerals in the region.

"We do not have places to extract gemstones, and this has led to conflict with large-scale miners.

''Mining in the park and other areas has become a preserve of few powerful individuals, and there is a need for the government to allocate us so that we can extract gemstones," he said.

The cleric urged the government to fast-track the formation of the Voi Gemstone value addition and marketing centre committee to minimise the massive exploitation of artisanal miners.

"The government is yet to appoint and gazette the 8-member committee of the gemology centre due to competing interests. And if the government imposes the committee members on us, we will not use the gemology centre," he warned.

David Omito, the Gem centre manager, assured the artisanal miners that the committee will be put in place soon. "We have forwarded the names to the mining ministry headquarters for appointment and gazettement, and the government will soon make a decision on the names," Omito said.

John Righa, the Kenya Chamber of Mines Voi branch chairman, revealed that the gemology centre is not currently viable for the artisanal miners.

Righa said the Sh15,000 charged per month for the booth was discouraging miners from using the facility.

"The Sh15,000 rental fee monthly for a booth is unaffordable for the artisanal miners and should be reduced to affordable fees. The government should also establish an armoury for explosives for the miners locally," he said.