By:Betty Luke
Hillo gold mining site in Moyale, Marsabit. PHOTO/Courtesy
The government has launched a fresh process to facilitate the reopening of the Hillo Gold Mines in Marsabit County by appointing a multi-agency team to assess the sites and recommend measures for the safe resumption of mining operations.
This was announced during a high-level meeting chaired by Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho following a directive from President William Ruto aimed at unlocking the area’s mining potential while strengthening safety and regulatory compliance.
The consultative meeting brought together Marsabit Governor Mohamed Ali, Moyale MP Prof. Guyo Waqo Jaldesa, Saku MP Dido Rasso, North Horr MP Wario Adhe, Senator Mohamed Chute and Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande.
According to the Ministry of Mining, the multi-agency team will within seven working days commencing July 23 to carry out an on-site assessment and present comprehensive recommendations on how mining activities can resume in a safe, orderly and sustainable manner.
The team will also verify previously demarcated artisanal mining zones, confirm registered mining cooperatives eligible for artisanal mining permits and advise on the legal and regulatory requirements necessary before the permits are issued.
CS Joho assured reopening process would strictly adhere to the provisions of the Mining Act of 2016 to ensure improved safety standards, environmental protection and better management of artisanal mining activities.
He further directed security and regulatory agencies to intensify the crackdown on illegal mining across the country, warning that individuals operating outside the law would face prosecution.
He called on artisanal and small-scale miners to comply with existing regulations, saying adherence to the Mining Act is critical in protecting lives, conserving the environment and ensuring the country’s mineral resources are exploited responsibly.
Mining exercises at the gold mines site, in Moyale Sub- County, were banned over persistent loss of lives, unregulated excavation, unsafe mining practices and conflicts over mining rights and environmental degradation.
The closure has since affected hundreds of artisanal miners and traders who depended on the mines for their livelihoods, prompting repeated appeals from local leaders and residents for the government to reopen the sites under a structured regulatory framework.
Leaders have maintained that formalizing artisanal mining through registered cooperatives and licensed mining zones would improve safety, enhance government oversight, reduce illegal operations and enable local communities to benefit more from the region’s mineral resources.
