The government has been urged to fast track the process of establishing and licensing mining activities in Kenya. The Mining Engineers Society of Kenya (MESK) says that the impending closure of Kenya’s largest mining company Base Titanium in Kwale County should be a wakeup call to the government as it would result in significant job losses and a sharp drop in government revenue from the mining sector.
The MESK, Chairman, Joseph Komu, says the gravity of the situation, noting that communities living around the mine site would be the most affected by the closure. The Company which contributes over 60% of Kenya’s Mining sectors contribution to Kenya’s GDP will be closing later in the year due to depletion of resources.
“There should be an urgency to fast track the licensing of the already vetted mining companies in the county, especially now that Base Titanium is winding down. Currently, we have a major backlog, and if this continues, many qualified mining personnel in Kenya will have no jobs. With the government’s push for youth employment, sectors like mining, which is a low-hanging fruit like agriculture, needs to be prioritized,” said Komu
In addition, he urged the Ministry to involve sector experts in strategic decision-making and reviewing of potential Mining projects for development so as to maintain the growth of the sector and to increase job creation.
He urged the Government to give special support for exploration projects so as to increase the possibility of discovering large scale mining projects.
“We request the Cabinet Secretary for Mining Hon Hassan Joho to hold a stakeholder meeting with the Mining Engineers Society of Kenya and other key players in the industry. This will allow us to deliberate on ways to drive mining forward in a more sustainable manner that not only prevents the closure of large companies but also increases the sector’s contribution to the economy and creates jobs for Kenyans,” Komu says.
The Mining Engineers body had visited Base Titanium for a familiarization and benchmarking tour, which is expected to enhance collaboration between industry professionals and foster knowledge exchange on best practices in mining operations.
The tour was aimed at providing insights into Base Titanium’s cutting-edge mining techniques, sustainability efforts, and community engagement initiatives.
Currently, the mining sector contributes less than 1% of Kenya’s GDP, but experts believe it has the potential to contribute between 4% and 10% if the right policies and investments are implemented.
The society has urged the Ministry of Mining to take immediate steps to unlock this potential, by streamlining licensing processes, fostering local and foreign investments, and promoting sustainable mining practices.