“National disaster”: Catholic Environmentalist on Unregulated Mining in Western Kenya

“Sometimes they dig and find no gold, but they’ve already disturbed the land,” he noted, and continued, “We are living in unstable areas that could collapse or cause accidents at any time.”

The Catholic environmentalist explained that drilling often reaches underground water reservoirs, which are vital to local communities. These water sources risk contamination from chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which are used in the extraction process.

He warned that improper disposal of these substances is affecting aquatic life, soil quality, and the safety of water.

“Mercury is toxic,” he observed, and explained, “When heated during the gold purification process, it vaporizes. People inhale this vapor without knowing it. It is a slow poisoning process.”

Many in the mining areas are unaware of the long-term health risks associated with chemical exposure, Mr. Musoka told ACI Africa, adding with concern that “mercury and cyanide can cause chronic illnesses, including cancer and respiratory complications.”

The Kenyan Catholic environmentalist also pointed to the economic inefficiencies in the current mining process in Western Kenya. According to him, the people involved in extraction do not benefit meaningfully from the process. Instead, brokers and middlemen exploit them.

“At the end of the day, the people doing the hard work on the ground are not benefiting,” Mr. Musoka said, and added, “The money leaves the community, and nothing is reinvested to improve lives.”

Additionally, the degraded land is rarely rehabilitated, leaving communities with reduced agricultural productivity and increased food insecurity, he noted, lamenting that members of local communities “can’t plant; they can’t harvest, and that contributes to hunger.”

In the April 15 interview, Mr. Musoka also expressed concern about the social impact of unregulated mining. He said many young people are dropping out of school to join mining activities. This has contributed to increased cases of drug abuse, early pregnancies, and child labor.

“Young people get quick money and feel they are adults,” he said, and added, “This leads to early marriages and other risky behaviors.”

Unregulated mining is also accelerating climate change, Mr. Musoka observed. He said that generators used in mining sites rely on fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions and global warming.

“The impact of climate change is visible,” he said, and explained, “We have long dry seasons and unpredictable weather patterns.”

He urged the Kenyan government, civil society organizations, and the private sector to collaborate in regulating the mining sector. He also called for community education, better enforcement of mining laws, and sustainable alternatives.

“We might have gold, but without regulation, we won’t have life. We’ll have minerals, but we won’t have clean water. The cost is too high,” he said.

In the April 15 Interview, Mr. Musoka emphasized the need for broader involvement in the decarbonization agenda. He told ACI Africa that efforts to reduce emissions must go beyond policy discussions and conference rooms and instead reach local communities, where real impact can be achieved.

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“People don’t know about global warming. We need to engage with them at a very high level. This is the reason why we are doing this, and we want to educate people,” he said.

For him, for instance, the transition from fossil fuels must include support for alternative energy solutions that are accessible and realistic for affected communities.

“If we talk about stopping fossil fuels, are we supporting an alternative?” he queried, and added, “It’s not just about branding and having strategies. It’s something that we, as a movement, need to work on.”

According to him, change must involve the people most affected by mining and climate impacts. “We need to get the people. And at the end of the day, we find solutions to what we are trying to educate the people on,” he said.

The Kenyan government has sought to harness economic gains from gold mining, particularly in the country’s Western region.

In the April 15 interview, Mr. Musoka noted the Kenyan government’s decision to permit Shanta Gold Limited, a gold mining company registered in Guernsey in Britain with operational headquarters in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, to carry out mining activities in Western Kenya.

The company reportedly acquired the West Kenya Project, which is considered one of the highest-grade gold projects in Africa, in late 2020.

The company has been conducting extensive drilling programs at the Isulu and Bushiangala mines in Kakamega County, aiming to “upgrade ounces from the Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate into the Indicated Resource category down to a depth of 600 meters,” the Catholic activist revealed to ACI Africa.

The Kenyan government has scheduled the opening of a major gold refinery in Kakamega County for June 2025. However, the project has sparked disputes involving local politicians, artisanal miners, and Shanta Gold, which has exploration rights in the region.

Concerns have also been raised about unregulated gold mining activities continuing in Kakamega County, with concerns over the lack of effective oversight of the sale as well as the movement of gold and the working conditions of miners.