Residents of Timboni village in Athi Ward, Kitui South Sub County in Kitui County are calling upon governor Julius Malombe to consider reopening iron ore mining in the area after the mining process was halted five years ago.
Residents of
Timboni area in Kitui South and officers from the Center For Human Rights and
Civic Education touring the mining sites in Timboni. MWINGI TIMES
The residents are
saying that they have gone through untold suffering since the mining of
iron-rich stones was stopped way back in 2018, stopping the only source of
livelihood for them.
Details of the
plight of the residents emerged during a meeting between them and the Center for
Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRCE), an NGO which had visited the area to
listen to the cries of residents and help them fight for their rights.
Patrice Musembi, a
resident of the area told MWINGI TIMES that iron ore mining has been taking
place in the area since 1986 and residents have benefitted a lot since then,
until the mining was halted by former governor Charity Ngilu, promising to seek
a better market for the commodity.
Musembi urged the
current governor Dr. Julius Malombe to reopen mining and issue new licenses to
new buyers so that residents may start benefitting again from the precious
stones.
Penina Moses,
another resident of Timboni also said that iron ore has been the sole source of
livelihood for residents and since the mining was stopped, residents have been
going through many challenges.
She urged the
governor to reopen the artisanal mining so that residents may continue
benefiting.
Pamela Musembi, a
business lady from the area also narrated the plight of residents since mining
was stopped. She said that poverty has hit the residents hard with some
residents being unable to get any meal for days.
She also said that
children have been affected with some dropping out of school and others
engaging in drug abuse due to idleness.
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