Handling Community Related Grievances in Kenyas Mining Sector: A Factsheet for Communities

Mining has been in existence in Kenya since the establishment of Magadi Soda Company in 1911. In the past few decades, the sector has seen a surge of investor interest due to increased global demand for minerals coupled with the discovery of economically viable minerals such as iron ore, coal and rare earth minerals, among others. This has invigorated significant regulatory reforms, marked by the Mining and Minerals Policy of 2016 and the Mining Act 2016. With further exploration gaining pace, the sector?s economic contribution is expected to increase to 10% by 2030, making it one of the key drivers of economic growth (Minerals Policy 2016). At the same time, new discoveries may raise expectations and vested interests, and further amplify the dynamics of resource-based grievances witnessed in various parts of the country, most notably Kwale, Kitui and Lamu (Abuya, 2017). The challenge remains how these grievances can be resolved fully whenever they occur to prevent further escalation. There exist diverse grievance handling mechanisms in Kenya, although many community members within the mining areas are unaware of these mechanisms and how they can make use of them. There is also lack of information on what community grievances are likely to arise in the mining sector.