Gold mining halted in Turkana over environmental breaches
Over 200 mining sites in the Kambi Karai and Lami Nyeusi region were found to be operating without the legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licences.
The National Environment Management Authority has suspended all gold mining activities along River Turkwel in Sigor Constituency, Turkana County, following reports of widespread environmental violations.
Over 200 mining sites in the Kambi Karai and Lami Nyeusi region were found to be operating without the legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licences.
The closure follows complaints from residents and stakeholders about deep pits and dirty water left behind by the miners, which has rendered the river unfit for domestic use.
“NEMA has today directed mining activities within the Kambi Karai and Lami Nyeusi region along River Turkwel in Sigor Constituency to stop further operations due to their negative environmental impacts,” the agency said.
“The more than 200 gold mining sites are operating without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licences, leaving deep holes and dirty waters along the river, making it unsuitable for domestic consumption,” NEMA added.
As part of the next steps, NEMA will inspect all the affected sites to assess their environmental compliance. Only those that fully meet EIA requirements and provide acceptable decommissioning plans will be allowed to resume operations.
The EIA process is aimed at identifying both the potential benefits and harms of a project, ensuring that development does not cause lasting damage to the environment or local communities.
Elsewhere in West Pokot County, four people died and several others were injured when a gold mine collapsed in Turkwel in the early hours of Saturday, June 7.
The victims had reportedly returned to the site with picks and hoes at night, not knowing that the soil structure had been weakened by earlier excavator activity.
West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi linked the incident to illegal mining practices and condemned local leaders for interfering with the work of police officers during the rescue mission. He said some leaders were inciting residents against law enforcement.
