Azimio Governor Fernandes Barasa Chases Away Investors
Governor Fernandes Barasa of Kakamega has ordered the immediate expulsion of an unlicensed gold mining company operating in the county.
Friday, while speaking to residents of Ikolomani Sub-county during a public participation forum, the governor accused the company of illegally extracting gold without a county government permit.
“Shanta Gold, pack your belongings and go. We don’t want you here in Ikolomani,” Barasa ordered.
The county administrator clarified that the company was granted permission for mineral exploration, not extraction.
Shanta Mining Company was also in the news for reportedly establishing a gold processing facility in Siaya County despite gold exploration in Kakamega.
Residents of Ikolomani initially lodged complaints with the county government, alleging that the mining company intended to seize unpermitted land parcels in the constituency.
“The other day, they released a statement expressing their decision to take gold processing to Siaya. We cannot allow our people to be harassed by investors who are coming here. You must consult the leadership,” the governor noted.
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In his address, Barasa also emphasized the significance of collaboration between the county and national governments to establish a gold refinery facility in Ikolomani, a move intended to unlock the region’s untapped mineral potential.
Barasa issued the orders in the presence of his deputy Ayub Savula and Ikolomani sub-county member of parliament Bernard Shinali.
Shanta Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with a concentration on East Africa. The company characterizes itself as a growth-driven, people-centered, and responsible enterprise committed to delivering long-term value to all of its stakeholders.
“Alongside its Tanzanian assets, the New Luika Gold Mine and the Singida Gold Project, Shanta also owns the West Kenya Project in Kenya with defined high-grade resources and prospecting licenses,” the company, on its website, claims to have permits contrary to Barasa’s allegations.
Azimio Governor Fernandes Barasa Chases Away Investors