Kwale mining: Residents decry exclusion from plans for Base Titanium land
By Mishi Gongo |
The residents say they fear losing the land to greedy investors since the mining company will close its doors at the end of the year.
Kwale County residents have raised concerns about being excluded from a committee to determine the future of over 6,000 acres of land currently being mined by Base Titanium.
The residents say they fear losing the land to greedy investors since the mining company will close its doors at the end of the year.
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They complain that the government did not include community representatives in decision-making, yet they are most affected.
"We are afraid that the land might end up in the hands of investors rather than being used for the benefit of the locals," said Hussein Ali from Msambweni. "We feel our interests and concerns are being sidelined in the planning process for post-mining land use."
The residents spoke in Diani over the weekend during a forum for mining stakeholders from the Coast region.
Hussein further questioned the criteria for selecting the post-mining land use committee. Mining Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi is the chair of the team whose members are representatives from the Interior ministry, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), and Kwale leadership.
The representatives will collect stakeholder opinions during public participation and prepare a report on how the land will be used once the Australian mining company leaves the country.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Hamadi Boga, a Kwale resident, noted the need to facilitate a proper, transparent and open process to achieve a favourable outcome for the people.
Boga recommended serious civic education throughout the process so that citizens can engage meaningfully and their views onboarded.
He added that locals must be able to access all environmental and social impact assessment reports available via NEMA.
"These reports, which were the basis of the Special Mining Lease Licence, outline the sensitive physical, environmental and socio-economic issues to be considered while doing the post-mining land use planning," he said, adding that they will enhance the understanding of what is at stake and therefore shape their contribution.
Boga insisted that the Post Mining Land Use Plan must add value to the land and the people of Kwale by using the land as a platform for socio-economic transformation.
"Using the land as a factor of production will catalyse investments that will secure incomes, create employment opportunities and improve the GDP of Kwale County in a sustainable way,"he said.
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