A gold refining company that the government is constructing in Kakamega is almost complete, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said.
The DP termed the one-of-a-kind gold company in Ikolomani, where gold mining is a major economic activity, a game changer in the mining sector.
Kindiki, while on a routine inspection of the site, said the establishment of the gold refinery would immensely benefit thousands of artisanal miners across the country, who have been manually conducting their mining activities despite imminent dangers.
Adressing the press on Thursday morning, Kindiki revealed that the construction of the company, which began mid-last year, would be completed by August this year.
According to him, construction of the essential first phase would be complete by August 31 2025, followed by installation of equipment and actual operationalisation by May 2026.
While urging the contractors to hasten the project, the DP noted that upon its completion, the refinery would be formally opened by President William Ruto during his visit to Western Kenya.
"This is a flagship project by the government of Kenya, which we would like to be completed on time, so we want it to be completed on time so that we can begin processing gold here
"The President will come to launch it when it is in operation. We do not want the Head of State to come and open it when it's still incomplete. The President has directed the construction of this company to help Kenyans," he added.
Kindiki underscored the need for the speedy execution of the project, warning that a delay in completing the construction would deny thousands of Kenyan youths job opportunities.
During the presser, the site contractor pleaded with the government to allocate more time for the project, claiming that the ongoing rains across the country had immensely hampered the construction of the refinery.
"We understand that the ongoing rains in this side of the country have interfered with the construction, because we had gone then 9 months, and they are behind schedule, so we have agreed that by August it should be complete," Kindiki said.
The project was first launched in June last year by former Mining Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya. During the groundbreaking ceremony, the CS directed contractors to complete the project by June 2025.
Addressing stakeholders, Mvurya announced the legalisation of artisan mining and urged the locals to set up a Community Development Agreement Committee so that they get one per cent of proceeds from the firm.
