Kenya is intensifying its efforts to tackle illegal mining, which has significantly impacted the country’s natural resources, by collaborating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Ali Hassan Joho, speaking at the inauguration of the Mining Police Unit described illegal mining as a transnational crime.
“Kenya is rich in numerous mineral deposits across the country, but we are currently earning only about 1% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from minerals,” Joho stated.
Legal artisanal and small-scale mining contributed at least Ksh 30 billion to the Kenyan economy in 2023, accounting for over half of the country’s mining output.
The newly formed Mining Police Unit, comprising officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other government agencies, will be led by Hadi Ali.
To address illegal mining activities on the international black market, Joho announced that the government would work with Interpol to recover illegally mined minerals and prosecute those behind the trade.
Kenya’s collaboration with Interpol will include providing law enforcement agencies with technical support, expertise, and analytical tools.
Under Interpol’s Project ENACT, the initiative supports the establishment of analytical units within African police authorities, enabling real-time searches in Interpol databases.
