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{
    "id": 1424463,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1424463/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 211,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "In the last two weeks or so, our officers were in Migori, Siaya, and Narok were able to close all the illegal mining operations in those counties. Further, we have recommended the deportation of some of the international investors who are doing illegal mining. They did not have papers to work in Kenya. We have recommended to our other colleagues to ensure they do a thorough investigation and deport them out of Kenya. The process of clamping on illegal mining is ongoing. We have a timetable. We went low a bit because of the weather but with better weather, we will continue to do the same across the country. We are not just doing closure of mines, but also encourage investors to operate within the legal framework. They need to apply so that we can give them proper licenses. I assure this House that we are bringing order in this particular sector. The challenge of illegal mine is bigger having had a lot of time when licenses were not being applied because of moratorium. We will make sure that we arrest this particular challenge. The other issue that has been raised is testing and sampling. The issue is part of the reforms that we are carrying out in the sector. We have decided that we need to upgrade our mining labs across the country. One of the labs we have to upgrade to international certification is Madini. We have also created nine new regions where we will be putting up testing and sampling centers so that then we do not have people coming up with fake minerals. I agree with the Majority Leader that you cannot identify minerals by the way they look. You have to test. In some areas like Embu, in an area called Ndarawe, there has been a lot of mining of coltan and the locals would be told that it is kokoto . Many people smuggled these minerals. However, we have now put order and employed 167 new staff who will be posted to the various parts of the country. We have already posted officers at the Port of Mombasa. We have also sent equipment so that they can test whatever is submitted to the Port of Mombasa. We are also working on the other entry points of our country to curb mineral smuggling. The Cabinet also approved mineral smuggling as an economic crime. You can at least see the seriousness of the government in curbing all these vices that happen in the mining sector. I submit because when I speak about matters of mining, I can take you through a lot of other details."
}