Tensions erupted into violence in Kakamega County on Thursday, leaving at least three people dead, several others injured, including police officers and journalists, as villagers protested against plans to relocate them for gold mining.
The unrest happened in Isulu, Ikolomani Constituency, when the people expressed anger over a proposal by Shanta Gold Company to take over their land. Officials from the National Environment Management Authority and Shanta Gold investors arrived in the area for a public participation meeting, but the community barred entry to Emusali Primary School, which was to host the forum.
According to eyewitnesses, frustrated by years of neglect and fearing displacement, the protesters set bonfires and blocked roads, bringing business activities in Ikolomani town to a standstill.
According to police reports, some of the people killed were allegedly hired to attack journalists covering the protest-a reflection of how tense the situation is over the gold mining project.
This comes after the recent announcement of gold deposits worth Ksh683 billion by Shanta Gold in Isulu and Bushiangala. The company will invest about Ksh22-27 billion ($170-208 million) in developing an underground mine and processing plant, which could operate for at least eight years, but may have potential for extension through further exploration.
The residents, however, fear losing their ancestral land and livelihoods. “This is our home,” one villager told reporters. “We cannot just leave without our voices being heard.”
This incident comes shortly after Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai met Shanta Gold leadership to discuss the company’s projects in Kakamega, Vihiga, and Siaya counties. Government officials stress how mining should translate into benefits for local communities, but to many residents, the promises do little to ease the fear of displacement.
Security officers are working to restore order, and investigations into the violence and fatalities continue. The Kakamega tragedy points, above all, to the sensitive balance that has to be struck between economic development and the rights and welfare of communities.
