Gold miners in Migori county. [Photo/ nation.co.ke]
An activist in Taita Taveta is pushing for the suspension of the use of explosives in the county’s mining sites.
Brighton Mwadime said most mining zones in the county use outdated methods putting the lives of miners at risk.Mwadime said Kenya should learn from neighbouring Tanzania where the government has adopted the use of modern technology in mineral extraction.“We hear explosives every day. Some of them are so strong that their explosion puts the lives of miners at danger.”“It’s high time the government borrows a leaf from Tanzania and modernizes the mining industry. Tanzania has one of the most sophisticated technologies in the mining sector. That’s why they record few deaths at mining sites.”Taita Taveta is among counties in the country endowed with minerals including copper, limestone, manganese and iron ore.Outdated technology used in the county’s quarries, however, limits returns locals fetch from mineral harvests.Mwadime said Kenya has not adopted internationally agreed standards of mining a development he said has crippled the exploitation of the vast minerals in various parts of the country.Most miners in Taita Taveta use rudimentary tools like hoes and spades for extracting minerals hampering efficient removal of the precious products.