Efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Vihiga County are steadily gaining momentum after their cooperatives begin implementing proper operational procedures and regulatory guidelines issued by government agencies.
The Department of Environment, Water, Energy, Natural Resources and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Hamisi Artisanal Mining Cooperative Society, conducted a training programme on cooperative management, planning and conflict resolution targeting management committees from six registered mining cooperatives in the county.
The training forms part of the county government’s ongoing interventions, aimed at strengthening artisanal mining cooperatives and associations to enhance compliance with environmental and social safeguards while improving benefits to local communities involved in mining activities.
During the sessions, participants were taken through cooperative operations, leadership structures and sector-specific legal frameworks by trainers drawn from the Office of the Commissioner of Cooperatives, the State Department for Mining and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
The initiative marks significant progress in the county’s efforts to streamline mining activities following recent sensitization forums where miners and local communities were educated on legal mining requirements, environmental conservation, occupational safety and responsible mining practices.
The Director of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Aquila Lwanga, described the training as an important milestone towards achieving a more organized and formalized gold mining sector capable of meeting operational, environmental and safety standards.
He noted that empowering cooperatives through capacity building would help improve governance within mining groups, reduce conflicts and encourage responsible mining practices that protect both people and the environment.
The training also emphasized the importance of collective organization through cooperatives as a means of improving access to government support, technical guidance and market opportunities for miners.
Support for the programme was provided through the PlanetGold Project, a multi-partner initiative led by the United Nations Development Programme aimed at eliminating the use of mercury in gold mining while promoting access to high-value markets for mercury-free gold.
Leaders from Vihiga Cooperative, Viyalo Cooperative, Maganyi Cooperative, Hamisi Cooperative, Shiru Cooperative and Elwunza Cooperative attended the training and pledged to continue working closely with government agencies to ensure mining activities in the county remain safe, lawful and economically beneficial to local communities.
County officials expressed optimism that the continued sensitization and capacity-building programmes will contribute towards transforming artisanal mining into a more sustainable and regulated sector capable of creating employment while safeguarding public health and the environment.
by Kelly Barasa
