Gov’t Revokes 15 Companies’ Licences Over Law Infringement
The Ministry of Mining has canceled the permits of 15 quarry operators in Kilifi County for failing to comply with mining laws.
Speaking in Kilifi, Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, who ordered the revocation, stated that the companies used mining permits rather than mining licences, as required by law.
Joho stressed that in order to be given a mining licence, a company must receive approval from both the community and the county administration.
“The first mistake that I have observed here is that people are using mining permits instead of mining licences, yet their operation is big,” he said.
“A mining licence will require one to sit down with the people and get an approval from them, which these companies are trying to avoid.”
Today, I assessed the level of compliance to the Mining Act 2016 by mining companies in Jaribuni and Kokotoni areas of Kilifi County.
— Hassan Ali Joho, EGH. (@HassanAliJoho) April 15, 2025
I am pleased that Victoria Engineering Company has formalized the agreement to honor its commitments regarding the payment of royalties,… pic.twitter.com/AWHmvi9GLo
“Today I have given an order that there is no one here who is supposed to have a mining permit; everybody must have a mining licence that has consent from the community and the county government,” he added.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai stated that the ministry will also investigate other mining enterprises across the country to ensure compliance in the sector.
“It is good that we have started here because this is a county that I believe has so many minerals, and when we get out of here, we will also go to another county,” he said.
On the other hand, Gideon Mung’aro, the Kilifi County Governor, stated that the Kilifi County administration will be eager to award mining licenses to companies that are entirely complying with the law and benefit citizens.
“We are working with CS Joho, and we have met quarry operators and Victoria Engineering is the only one that accepted to do us a road in Jaribuni, but the rest refused and hence we have stopped them because their operations are causing untold health sufferings,” he said.
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The termination of these enterprises’ mining licences comes only days after Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o declared that illegal miners, particularly those of building materials, would face harsher penalties in an effort to restore the county’s environmental fitness.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, March 25, the governor stated that illegal miners in the county will be arrested, fined heavily, and compelled to rebuild damaged lands.
The governor noted that mining of building commodities in the county should only be authorised by the Kisumu County government.
“Pollutant degraders of the environment will pay heavy fines. They will also be forced to restore the area damaged, and the culprits will be apprehended,” the governor said.
Gov’t Revokes 15 Companies’ Licences Over Law Infringement
