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More than 2000 women and youth in Bale village, Ganze Sub-County have now abandoned small-scale farming and animal rearing with the hope of turning around their fortunes in manganese mining.

Speaking during a two-day visit to the sites accompanied by a team from Natural Resource Alliance of Kenya (KeNRA), James Mwaringa, one of the local residents, said the activity is now a preferred venture playing a big role in reduction of poverty in the drought ravaged area.

The mining areas include Mugumoni, Sitaki, Sosoni, Vilwakwe, Kadzandani and Mangororo in Sokoke Ward. In the neighbouring Jaribuni Ward most miners are at Mayowe and Vyambani.

“A large number of women and youth have engaged in this activity because they earn more compared to those doing agriculture. Manganese mining has become a very significant source of employment to the locals,” he said.

Mwaringa said manganese mining in the area started in 2018 with Bamba Mining Company Ltd being the solely licensed miner.

He said the residents use gadgets like jembes, axes, hoes, artificial filtering basins among other traditional tools to extract the minerals.

A tone of the manganese, goes for Sh7,000 and in a committed week can make-up roughly 120 tonnes.
George Karisa, another resident who works in one of the mining sites, said manganese mining has become a major economic activity.

Though they are benefiting, he said the venture has its challenges. “We spent the whole day in the mining sites in order to make a living. This is a business of hope. You keep on working hoping to find more manganese minerals at some point. It’s not any easy trade, some people tried it but later ran away,” said Karisa.

Pendo Karisa, a class seven pupil at Mugumoni primary school said she helps her parents in the mining venture after she returns from school.

She said the mining activity has opened hopes in her home. “Through this venture my parents have managed to cater for our education and other basic needs without challenges,” she said.

The manganese minerals are sold to countries like China, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and South Sudan.
Kilifi also has iron ore, gypsum, sodium chloride and gas with a vast mineral deposit whose exploitation could boost the region’s economy.

Kilifi County Assembly Speaker Teddy Mwambire urged the residents to form registered groups. Once organised, he said, the County government and other partners will help them acquire equipment.

“The government will only come in to make sure that a community development agreement has been formed and this is through forming a group. The committee will comprise the community, the investors and the government officials. This is the platform where corporate social responsibility can be agreed on,” Mwambire said.

He also said environment and Social responsibility should be addressed so that the local people do not suffer. Mining should not harm the environment and social Welfare.

Ganze MP Kenneth Kazungu said mining would complement agribusiness pushing Kilifi to be among the top richest Counties.

“With this, we shall have more opportunities especially with the opening up of improved roads and new business. This will attract more investors in our area,” he said.