Mining and Blue Economy CS Ali Hassan Joho has urged Kenyans to invest in the mining sector to seize its lucrative opportunities.
Speaking before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining, Joho noted that foreign investors dominate the industry, reaping significant returns on their investments. He cited Indonesia and China as examples of countries where investors have amassed billions from mining.
Joho called on MPs to support his efforts to establish a comprehensive policy framework that would guide the mining sector. He proposed several strategies to streamline the industry, including enforcing the payment of royalties to foreign companies extracting minerals from Kenya.
“The issue of royalties for the affected communities is crucial. We have foreign entities that have been extracting our minerals for over ten years without compensating the communities. We want this to be addressed at the point of loading the cargo,” he emphasized.
“Through such rules many young Kenyans will get the opportunity to grow through the sector,” he added.
CS Joho added that his ministry would deploy experts at every border point, alongside police officers, to monitor activities and ensure compliance within the sector.
Additionally, Joho suggested that the committee consider visiting Tanzania to assess its achievements in the mining industry, aiming to learn from its successes.
