Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 473224,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/473224/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 187,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Abdalla",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 382,
        "legal_name": "Amina Ali Abdalla",
        "slug": "amina-abdalla"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, I was saying that with the discretional powers that we have given the Cabinet Secretary in this Bill, if we do not curtail them, we would mainly be replacing the word Commissioner of Mines with Cabinet Secretary in the current law. So, I hope Members will bear with us and support the Committees assertion that for purposes of transparency and accountability, we should set up a mineral rights board that would help the Minister review these Bills. Another major issue in this Bill is the fact that, in case of a dispute, we were looking to have an ad hoc tribunal. We would be changing that to a permanent one so that individuals there would have some sort of security of tenure in the period they are in so that they are able to dispense their duties more freely. I want to acknowledge the contribution made to us as a Committee by the Kenya African Miners Association who highlighted to us the problems facing the indigenous miners who are small scale. For that reason, we would be proposing a whole new Section regarding the management of artisanal miners so that whereas big miners for example in Taita Taveta would be having licenses and our small artisanal miners would be deemed to be illegal, if we pass this Bill with the amendments that we are proposing, our artisanal miners will have a system of getting themselves regulated and having a permit for the activity and in the process, provide support for their growth. We are proposing to this House in the Third Reading that the artisanal miners are able to get permits and the Government to provide them with support to transform them into co- operatives and give them support in health and environmental training so that they do not get problems when they are doing their jobs. There has been a lot of talk about the issue of having mineral agreements. The first time I encountered the word mineral agreement, I thought it was for general purpose. But because it is not for general purposes, I would want to tell the Members that mineral agreements are an exempt from the standard. So, if the royalty rate for a particular mineral is 10 per cent and that investment by that particular investor is above a certain amount, then the Government should bring to this House an agreement that they have had with the investor showing the move from the norm. Like if they decide you have invested a lot and we want to reduce the royalty rates that are in the mineral agreement, we hope that will be brought to this House. We feel that if we do not put a high threshold for that, any miner who walks into Kenya would The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}