A section of Luhya elders has stepped in to attempt to de-escalate the growing tension between locals and the government over the mineral-rich Ikolomani piece of land.
On Thursday December 11, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna revealed that he and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi had met with the Luhya Elders Forum to discuss their concerns after being summoned.
According to Sifuna, the issues of gold mining in Ikolomani and the proposed nuclear power plant in Siaya were at the heart of the elders' concerns.
"We have promised to amplify these concerns in our respective capacities to ensure fairness and justice to the people of the region," Sifuna revealed in a statement.
In their statement, the elders, specifically faulted the government’s handling of the Mumias and Nzoia sugar factories, claiming it was not done transparently.
“It is almost criminal disenfranchisement of this community that proxies of companies of politicians, and especially from outside the Mulembe nation, can come and take pickings of sugar companies in the Western region.", they said.
The latest engagement came even as Ikolomani residents maintained that they would not abandon their small-scale gold mining activities despite deadly clashes, which claimed three lives during protests over control of the mineral-rich land.
Gold deposits in Ikolomani are estimated to be worth about Ksh680 billion, but despite this, locals are fearful that commercial mining would push them aside without any economic alternatives.
While the residents said they were open to future arrangements, they stressed that their position would only change if they received firm assurances that their livelihoods would not be wiped out.
Siaya Nuclear Plant
In Siaya, locals are also on edge after the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) identified the county as the site for Kenya’s first nuclear power plant.
The elders were adamant that the risks were too great to be ignored and insisted that the Mulembe leadership must be fully involved before any approval.
“Our attention has been drawn to the safety concerns with respect to the risks of cancers and other existential threats to the region,” they warned.
The government insists that the Ksh490 billion ($3.8 billion) project is necessary to meet the country’s growing energy demand and sustain economic growth.
At the same time, international experts have warned about the financial and technical hurdles Kenya could face. Among them, Hartmut Winkler, a nuclear energy specialist at the University of Johannesburg, cautioned that nuclear plants are 'extremely expensive' and often take decades to complete.
Since the Senate oversees county governments, Sifuna and other Senators can press Kakamega County to demonstrate measures taken to protect residents in the event the British company takes over gold mining operations.
Similarly, through committees such as the Standing Committee on Lands, Environment & Natural Resources, the Senate can also summon Ministry of mining officials, including Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, to explain the intricate details of the proposed takeover being resisted by residents.
