Former Lands Minister Charity Kaluki Ngilu and Deputy President William Ruto at a past function (Photo/courtesy)
Coal and limestone mining in Kitui is likely to meet resistance from the local population and leaders.
This is after Former Lands Minister Charity Kaluki Ngilu promised to revive the mining of different minerals in the county to improve the economy.
Speaking during his inauguration, Ngilu said that she will work with the national government to ensure that minerals in the county are exploited for the benefit of the common mwananchi during her reign in power.
The mining of both coal and limestone in Mui Basin and Ngaaie respectively had stopped because of different reasons. However, Ngilu is likely to meet resistance from different factions.
“I promise to partner with the national government to ensure minerals are fully utilized for the benefit of residents,” she said, as quoted by Star.
A section of residents in the area believes that the project needs to be abandoned because it has a negative impact on the lives of the people. The families in the areas where mining is expected to be undertaken are reluctant to leave their ancestral land because it has graves among other things.
“Apart from interfering with farming activities, we are not willing to leave the place where the graves of our parents and other beloved people are. It would be very painful to do so,” Mui farmer Muthui Mang’ola said, as quoted by Star.