The Senate has invited Kenyans to take part in shaping proposed changes to the country’s mining laws. The call comes as lawmakers review a bill that aims to improve how mineral royalties are managed and shared between counties and local communities where extraction takes place.

In a statement shared on X on Thursday, March 12, 2026, the Senate Standing Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources said public participation is a key step in ensuring that communities directly affected by mining activities benefit from the resources found in their areas.

“The Senate Standing Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources invites members of the public to submit memoranda on the Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Senate Bills No. 22 of 2025),” the Senate statement reads.

Lawmakers explained that the proposed legislation seeks to introduce clearer rules on how mineral royalties should be managed by county governments and local communities, while also improving accountability and transparency in the process.

“The Bill seeks to amend the Mining Act (Cap. 306) by establishing a comprehensive legal and administrative framework to guide the utilisation of mineral royalties by county governments and local communities. It further proposes mechanisms to ensure the prompt transfer of royalties allocated to county governments and local communities into County Revenue Funds to facilitate timely utilisation. In addition, the Bill provides for the establishment of community-led committees responsible for identifying and monitoring projects funded through these royalties,” the Senate statement reads.

The Senate also outlined the different ways citizens, stakeholders, and organisations can send their views and proposals regarding the bill before the deadline.

“Submissions may be addressed to the Clerk of the Senate, hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk of the Senate, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, or sent via email to clerk and copied to Land Environment Committee, Senate, to be received on or before Friday, March 27, 2026, at 5.00 p.m,” the statement reads.

Officials further encouraged members of the public to review the full document and its summary so that they can better understand the proposed changes and contribute meaningful feedback.

“The Bill and a digest summarising its contents and context may be accessed on the Parliament website,” the statement reads.

If passed, the proposed law could significantly change how mining royalties are distributed and monitored across Kenya. Communities living near mining sites have often raised concerns about not receiving adequate benefits from the natural resources extracted in their regions.

The Senate has said that community-led committees and clearer financial structures, with a new framework, will strengthen transparency, improve accountability, and ensure local residents see tangible development from mining activities in their areas.

The committee’s invitation for public submissions forms part of Kenya’s constitutional requirement that citizens be involved in legislative processes that directly affect their livelihoods and resources.