Rona Foundation Blogs

Through the Ministry of Mining, the government of Kenya suspended mining activities due to the heavy rainfall and flooding. Their goal is to save lives of miners during inevitable landslides. Mining is a dangerous job and last month, two miners lost their lives in a gold mine shaft collapse, leaving five others injured. This grim incident adds to the long list of mining-related fatalities in the region, with the memory of Tom Okwach’s body retrieved seven months after being trapped in the Abimbo mine still fresh in our minds.

The alarming frequency of such incidents underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of mining laws, particularly at the county level. However, navigating the labyrinth of regulations is challenging, exacerbated by violent gatekeepers who control access to the numerous mining sites scattered across Siaya County.

Compounding this issue is the rising influx of women into the mining sector, where they face heightened risks due to limited protective gear, exposing them to health hazards from  handling of toxic substances like mercury and sodium cyanide. They’re exposed to noise pollutions from stone crushers, vulnerable to sexual violations in remote sites lacking security measures, and lack training on safety protocols associated with mining activities, increasing accident risks.

According to the Auditor General Performance Report on Monitoring Artisanal Mining Operations by the Ministry or Petroleum and Mining for the period 2016/17 to 2021/22, there was a total of 60 deaths reported; 27 in Kakamega, 15 in Migori and Kisumu each, and three in Taita Taveta. Many more deaths are unreported as miners feared that operations would be negatively affected, if revealed.

However, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Siaya County is poised to benefit from the $156 million Financing Locally–Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program  funds from the World Bank for environmental conservation initiatives. These funds are aimed to benefit vulnerable groups and effective utilization should include creating safer and healthier environments that directly benefit local women by mitigating some of the risks associated with mining activities.

Also, Governor Orengo’s rallying cry of ‘Nyalore’ (it can be done) resonates deeply with Siaya women whom I have spoken to, mostly within a ten thousand plus widows’ network I oversee, who view this as an opportunity for positive change.

However, while environmental initiatives are commendable, they must be accompanied by comprehensive mining guidelines and frameworks addressing crucial issues such as site selection, noise pollution near schools, chemical usage, and emergency response protocols.

“FLLoCA works to make sure men and women have equal chances. It helps groups like widows, youth, and people with disabilities. The goal is to support community efforts to fight climate change. Women will play a central role in these changes.” — Gabriel Oduong’, Director of Water, Environment, and Natural Resources told us during the launch of the FLLoCA project.

In spite of this new hope, Siaya covertly stands synonymous with the practice of ‘mak ali,’  involving trading sex for gold dust, and the prevalence of child labor. These issues demand immediate attention, as revealed in our baseline study two years ago, which uncovered numerous unreported cases of sexual violations. For FLLoCA to be impactful, it’s essential to engage women’s rights movements, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and human rights defenders to spotlight and document these hidden sexual violations around mining sites.

Similar to the scores of coastal women miners,  these violations  occur behind bushes and under dark cactus trees around mining sites. And with perpetrators – some immigrant miners that have come in from neighbouring countries, including Tanzania, who operate using proxies to avoid detection.

Also, gold mines continue to be associated with a large mortality burden with no major efforts to ensure the safety in mining communities.

These vulnerabilities signify the urgent need for targeted interventions to protect women in mining communities, as well as robust public health measures to safeguard the well-being of both miners and the surrounding communities.

“I believe, there will be a dual benefit for Siaya women, environmental sustainability and economic empowerment,” articulated Soipan Tuya, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry when launching the FLLoCA project.

All said, it is imperative to recognize that mere financial injections will not suffice if they do not address the underlying human rights concerns around mining sites. Without mining guidelines and enforcement of mining laws, women and girls will continue to be the silent victims of this deadly industry, relegated to the status of mere statistics in a cycle of exploitation and tragedy.

Of note, Siaya County stands at a crossroads, where decisive action is needed to transform the mining sector into a safer and more equitable environment for all.

I am hopeful that World Bank funds, will, in the least, empower the marginalized, uphold their rights, and ensure that no more lives are lost to the perils of gold mining.

The time for change is now.

Roseline Orwa, a widow champion, and 2021 Aspen New Voices Fellow is the Founder and Director of the Rona Foundation, a widow human rights organization in Kenya that works to advance and protect widows’ rights, as well as provide support to orphans and vulnerable children.