Africa-Press – Kenya. The government has been urged to enhance monitoring, reporting, and enforcement of mineral resources and employment regulations to secure meaningful participation for Kenyan professionals in the country’s mining sector.
The appeal follows concerns raised by stakeholders in the sector over persistent non-compliance by mining companies, which continues to deny local engineering professionals critical opportunities for skills development, knowledge transfer, and professional growth.
Speaking at the Mining Engineers Society of Kenya (MESK) annual end-of-year event, MESK chairman Joseph Komu highlighted a persistent gap between legislative requirements and industry practice.
“As a society, we strongly believe in the vision of a mining sector that creates sustainable opportunities for Kenyans. This can only be realised if the legal provisions that safeguard local participation are fully enforced,” Komu said.
He revealed that many mining operations continue to run with minimal or no qualified Kenyan technical professionals, despite legal requirements under the Mining Act and Local Content Employment and Training Regulations.
He called for urgent action from the State Department for Mining, calling for the urgent engagement of qualified engineers before issuing any mining permits.
“This single requirement would significantly improve technical standards, safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship across the sector, while creating meaningful jobs for Kenyan professionals,” Komu added.
Thomas Mutwiwa, secretary of Mining at the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy & Maritime Affairs, who represented Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to growing the sector’s contribution to GDP to 10 per cent from the current level of less than 1 per cent.
He highlighted ongoing reforms, including the online mining cadaster system for license applications, a royalty management system to track production and revenues, and an explosives management system.
“We are also working on regulations to disperse royalties already collected. For instance, Kwale County will be getting about Sh1.6 billion, with Sh800 million going to communities,” Mutwiwa said.
The secretary called for synergy among stakeholders, stating, “We should collectively work together so that we lift the sector and move forward in terms of growth.” He added that mining professionals would be involved in policy creation.
The President of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) President Shammah Kiteme, challenged professionals to harness Kenya’s vast mineral potential, citing untapped coal deposits in the Mui Basin worth an estimated Sh4 trillion.
“The coal we have in this country can give us Sh5 trillion and fund the entire economic transformation roadmap announced by President William Ruto without borrowing a single shilling,” said Kiteme.
The appeal comes amid sector optimism as Kenya’s mining and quarrying grew 15.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, indicating recovery potential following Base Titanium’s departure at the end of 2024.
