By Kwale Press Club Team
A sharp disagreement has erupted between the Kwale County government and the Ministry of Mining over the proposed extraction of rare earth minerals of an estimated value of over Ksh 8 Trillion at the Mrima Hill Forest in Dzombo Ward, Lungalunga Sub-County.
Tensions flared after Kwale County government officials, led by Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo and two MCAs of Vanga and Pongwe Kikoneni wards, dramatically walked out of a closed door consultative meeting convened by Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho at Matuga School of Government, accusing the ministry of pushing the process without adequate public participation.
The county leadership faulted the national government for what it termed as bulldozing a project of immense environmental and social impact, without first engaging the local community and their elected representatives.
“As a county government we feel that the CS is using force and we will not be part of that process” said Kombo.
The deputy governor insisted they will not allow a situation where elected leaders are sidelined in decisions that directly affect the people they represent.
“The governor and I swore to protect the resources of Kwale people and it is on that mandate we are continuing to ensure that we first listen to the local people. We will only engage in talks that are done at the ground and we cannot be part of a bulldozing situation for running government affairs” he noted.
Kombo maintained that the county government would not endorse any mining activities at Mrima Hill unless residents, local leaders and environmental stakeholders are fully involved saying it is a community resource that requires a consultative process and enough public participation and respect to the residents and leaders of county government.
After the walk out the CS continued the closed door meeting with other leaders including members of parliament and a section of MCAs
On his part, Joho sought to calm the standoff, saying the process was still at a preliminary stage and that no final decisions had been made.
Joho said responsible leaders should engage so that they can unlock the potential
“We are here to break the ice, we have started to talk to know who we will involve and what kind of meetings should happen so that Mrima can move forwad” he said. .
He said that the ministry plans to meet every cadre of leaders including MCAs, MPs, clergy, Kaya Elders and other stakeholders separately to ensure every voice is heard.
He distanced the ministry from what the county government accused it of bulldozing the process saying they will continue to engage and invite the leadership of the county at every stage of discussion.
He said whoever will be awarded the license to mine must set up factories to process and add value to the minerals to ensure final products are removed from the area.
“The most important thing to note is that we have not yet issued the license to explore or mine the Mrima Hill. We also don’t know fully what is on the ground in terms of mineral deposits. Every other thing is just speculations,” Joho said.
He added that a comprehensive feasibility and environmental impact assessment would be undertaken before any activity is approved.
“We must first understand what is underground, the environmental implications, and how many people would be affected before we can talk about mining,” he said.
Mrima Hill Forest is a protected ecosystem believed to host rare earth minerals, making it both economically strategic and environmentally sensitive.
The disagreement now casts uncertainty over the future of any proposed mining, with the county government standing firm that local consent must come first.
As the standoff continues, pressure is mounting on both levels of government to strike a balance between national economic interests and community rights enshrined in law.
