WEST POKOT, Kenya – At least four people, including a 14-year-old boy, died on Thursday after a shaft collapsed at a gold mining site in Kambi Karai, West Pokot County.
Police identified the victims as Silas Losenya, 22, Jacob Tsangana, 30, Morio Akotopuo, 35, and Lopoghon Lopakar, 14. They were buried alive when the mine caved in, witnesses and police said.
Several other miners managed to escape unhurt. Officers were later dispatched to the site after receiving an alert from local reservists, while the bodies were taken to Kapenguria County Hospital Mortuary. Local administrators are expected to visit the scene on Friday.
The tragedy adds to a growing list of fatal accidents linked to small-scale gold mining across the country.
Just last week, a miner died in Masara, Migori County, after rushing into a tunnel moments after a controlled blast.
The 28-year-old, identified as Charles Okongo, suffocated inside and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
The Migori incident sparked violent protests, with angry residents vandalizing property at the site and accusing managers of using unsafe explosives.
A Chinese national overseeing the operation was rescued from a mob and later arrested as investigations continue.
Deaths at artisanal mining sites have been rising, particularly in Migori, Kakamega, Moyale, Siaya, and West Pokot counties.
Officials blame poor safety standards, lack of protective gear, and disregard for warnings to keep away from unstable shafts.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), police, and county governments have been leading campaigns to curb unsafe practices, but many miners continue to defy safety orders, often sneaking back into the sites at night in search of gold.
