NAIROBI, Kenya – Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has issued a stern directive to crack down on illegal activities surrounding the exploitation of Kenya’s strategic minerals.
In a statement dated September 14, Joho revealed that the Ministry had uncovered instances of unauthorized extraction of key minerals, including copper, coltan, and chromite.
The crackdown targets individuals exploiting these minerals, which are among 14 resources declared strategic by the Cabinet on October 3, 2024.
Other minerals under protection include cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel, niobium, tantalum, thorium, tsavorite, tin, rare earth elements, and uranium, all gazetted by the Ministry to ensure strict oversight.
Joho emphasized that any activities involving these minerals—whether prospecting, mining, trading, or processing—must be conducted solely by, or in partnership with, the National Mining Corporation (NAMICO).
The Ministry, he stated, is committed to enforcing the Mining Act and protecting the country’s natural resources from illegal exploitation.
“We will not hesitate to prosecute those found violating the law,” Joho warned, stressing that strict adherence to the Mining Act 2016 and the Mining (Strategic Minerals) Regulations 2017 is essential for safeguarding Kenya’s mineral wealth.
These laws aim to ensure that Kenya’s strategic minerals are responsibly managed, generating maximum economic benefit for the nation.
The Ministry’s recent gazette notice, issued on November 3, 2023, further strengthens this effort by emphasizing tighter controls over resources deemed critical to the country’s development.
In a statement dated September 14, Joho revealed that the Ministry had uncovered instances of unauthorized extraction of key minerals, including copper, coltan, and chromite.
The crackdown targets individuals exploiting these minerals, which are among 14 resources declared strategic by the Cabinet on October 3, 2024.
Other minerals under protection include cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel, niobium, tantalum, thorium, tsavorite, tin, rare earth elements, and uranium, all gazetted by the Ministry to ensure strict oversight.
Joho emphasized that any activities involving these minerals—whether prospecting, mining, trading, or processing—must be conducted solely by, or in partnership with, the National Mining Corporation (NAMICO).
The Ministry, he stated, is committed to enforcing the Mining Act and protecting the country’s natural resources from illegal exploitation.
“We will not hesitate to prosecute those found violating the law,” Joho warned, stressing that strict adherence to the Mining Act 2016 and the Mining (Strategic Minerals) Regulations 2017 is essential for safeguarding Kenya’s mineral wealth.
These laws aim to ensure that Kenya’s strategic minerals are responsibly managed, generating maximum economic benefit for the nation.
The Ministry’s recent gazette notice, issued on November 3, 2023, further strengthens this effort by emphasizing tighter controls over resources deemed critical to the country’s development.
