MP pledges State support for Shinyalu gold miners
By dennis-lumiti, October 5, 2022Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana has assured gold miners in his area the government will address their plight.
Ikana said yesterday the miners in his constituency and the neighbouring Ikolomani, led miserable lives which include poverty, work injuries and even death, while gold brokers smiled all the way to the bank.
He said some of the miners, mainly in his constituency frequently perish in the mine pits and their families do not receive compensation.
“I have reached out to the Cabinet Secretary Nominee for Mining and Blue Economy Salim Mvurya and he has assured me that he shall prioritise paying a visit to Shinyalu to address the plight of the gold miners, in my constituency and Ikolomani,” he added.
Development programmes
The legislator was speaking in Shinyalu where he made extensive inspection tours of his development programmes.
He said gold was the biggest resource in Kakamega County and thus should benefit the locals.
Ikanafurther said he was working closely with his Ikolomani counterpart Benard Shinali to ensure that the Sh100 Million gold refinery being put up at Iguhu area was completed.
“Our people will no longer be used as mere beasts of burden with nothing to show for it. We need to see the fruits of our gold,” he said adding that he would work on legislation that will cushion miners from exploitation.