At least three people lost their lives, and several others — including police officers and journalists — were injured during violent clashes in Kakamega on Thursday, December 4. The violence erupted after residents protested government and investor plans to relocate them from their homes.
The trouble began in Isulu, within the Ikolomani constituency, where Shanta Gold Company intends to acquire land for a major gold-mining project.
Officials from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and investors from Shanta Gold had travelled to the area to hold a public participation meeting on the planned relocation. However, tensions quickly rose, and the meeting never took place.
Villagers, upset over fears of losing their land, blocked the NEMA officials and the investors from entering Emusali Primary School, where the forum was supposed to be held. Many residents argued that the relocation plan was not clear and felt that their concerns were being ignored.
Reports indicate that Shanta Gold Company proposed moving more than 800 households after discovering gold deposits estimated to be worth KSh683 billion.
This discovery has drawn massive attention, but it has also increased anxiety among families who fear displacement.
During the demonstrations, locals barricaded roads in Ikolomani town with large stones and lit bonfires, bringing business activities in the area to a standstill.
According to a police report, most of the casualties were believed to be individuals hired to disrupt journalists who were covering the gold-related protests, though investigations are still ongoing.
This violent incident comes just two weeks after Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai met with Shanta Gold’s leadership to discuss mineral exploration in Western Kenya.
Their talks focused on ongoing mining work in Siaya, Vihiga, and Kakamega counties, and the need to adopt strategies that will benefit local communities while ensuring the project’s long-term success.
The clashes also follow the announcement made a month earlier, when Shanta Gold revealed its discovery of gold valued at KSh683 billion in the Isulu and Bushiangala areas.
The government has already approved the company’s mining project. Shanta Gold says it plans to invest between KSh22 billion and KSh27 billion (USD 170 million to 208 million) in constructing an underground mine and a gold-processing plant.
Sources familiar with the project indicate that the mine is expected to operate for at least eight years. However, depending on future exploration results, the mining period could be extended to last even longer.
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