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{
"id": 1522932,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522932/?format=api",
"text_counter": 376,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me the opportunity to support this Bill. Artisanal gold mining, which is small-scale gold mining involving people without experience, is all over the country but mainly in western Kenya. It is mainly practised in Kakamega, Vihiga, Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, and West Pokot counties. Western Kenya is probably, a geological gold belt that is under-utilised and under-exploited. Therefore, we need to focus on the area."
},
{
"id": 1522933,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522933/?format=api",
"text_counter": 377,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 1565,
"legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
"slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
},
"content": " Hon. Nyikal, I hope the Mover of the Bill is in the House, and listening to you."
},
{
"id": 1522934,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522934/?format=api",
"text_counter": 378,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal",
"speaker": null,
"content": " He is here, and I appreciate the work he has done."
},
{
"id": 1522935,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522935/?format=api",
"text_counter": 379,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 1565,
"legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
"slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
},
"content": " When you see the scope of the gold belt from Migori through the lake to Homa Bay, through Nyamula in Uyoma and a bit of Seme, to Ikolomani—which is the corrupted name Shinali’s people use for a gold mine—there could be a gold belt there."
},
{
"id": 1522936,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522936/?format=api",
"text_counter": 380,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, if that belt is there, it needs to be exploited professionally. It will create employment and wealth for the people, and to the Government through taxes. Currently, the process is destructive in most ways. What people are most concerned about is the safety of miners when the mines collapse. The miners work underground without the skills or resources to protect themselves deep inside. The other issue is that mining distracts children from education. Children abandon going to school to work in mines thus having a negative outcome. The miners use generators while inside the mines. Sometimes, people die from carbon monoxide poisoning emitted from the generators. These are some of the issues that are mostly overlooked. But that is not the only danger miners are exposed to. The danger we all know about is the collapse of mines. Miners use bare hands when spanning, which has a lot of health hazards. The chemicals they use are poisonous. Mercury is extremely, neurologically poisonous. Arsenic is a slow killer. It can be used to poison people. Lead is very toxic to kidneys. Some of the miners may die slowly from kidney failure. Cyanide is an acute poison. The dust and silica, when inhaled for a long time, are dangerous to the lungs. In old age, they may start dying of chronic lung disease or heart disease. It may be difficult to relate the diseases to the mining activities that one engaged in previously. So, mining is a very dangerous activity. Aside from that, some of these chemicals are carcinogenic. Some of them, mercury in particular, affect unborn babies. So, the dangers are numerous while the returns are not that good because of exploitation. The young men and women working in the mines are underpaid by the middlemen controlling the mines. I support this Bill. Clause 6 of the Bill establishes the Gold Processing Corporation. Clause 8 of the Bill outlines the functions of the Corporation. The Corporation shall establish mining structures, standards, materials to be used and the licensing process and timing. Once those aspects are addressed, we can examine the health hazards. We will have to carefully look at the Bill in more detail. It will not only protect the health of our people and improve their 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."
},
{
"id": 1522937,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522937/?format=api",
"text_counter": 381,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal",
"speaker": null,
"content": "livelihood but also generate more income for the country through taxes. This is an extremely important Bill and I support it."
},
{
"id": 1522938,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522938/?format=api",
"text_counter": 382,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 1565,
"legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
"slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
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"content": " Hon. Joseph Oyula, the only Member who best understands money."
},
{
"id": 1522939,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522939/?format=api",
"text_counter": 383,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Butula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Maero Oyula",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me add my voice to this important Bill. Some of us have suffered greatly because of gold mining. Gold is also found in Busia. The stretch from Kakamega crosses through Busia up to Uganda. Right now, there is fear at the boarder point because some Chinese are mining gold and we suspect they have crossed into Kenya through the underground. The major problem is that we do not have any regulator. Anything gold is messy, because the young men used are never properly compensated nor well protected. They go underground to follow the gold routes. Some of them die in the mines because of the chemicals they use. So, it is important that this exercise is regulated. The establishment of the Corporation mentioned in the Bill will be quite important. It should be given teeth. In Busia, and particularly in my constituency, I faced many problems with gold prospectors. If you ask them for a licence or permit, they do not have any. They simply tell you that they have authority from ‘above.’ Who exactly is the ‘above’? We need to ensure that the authority can be seen. Representation at the counties should be ensured by having respective Ministry officials at the county level. Without any regulation and representation, there are a lot of problems. In our area, we hope that there is a Ministry representative in Kakamega yet there is none. This Bill will help us a lot. It will help people at the border point. The gold belt runs from Uganda deep into Kenyan soil. We need to support this Bill so that our people can be protected. We also need to protect the environment. Miners dig ditches but do not care to fill them up afterward. Some go into school compounds and leave big trenches, which is very dangerous for students. We need regulation and a corporation that can manage mining in the country. I support this Bill, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Thank you."
},
{
"id": 1522940,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522940/?format=api",
"text_counter": 384,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 1565,
"legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
"slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
},
"content": " Hon. Naomi Waqo."
},
{
"id": 1522941,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522941/?format=api",
"text_counter": 385,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Marsabit County, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Naomi Waqo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This is a very interesting debate on this Bill and especially, in the areas that have some gold like Dabel in my county. For the last five years, gold miners have been there trying to mine and grow their wealth. Unfortunately, many people have lost their lives in my place. As a result of this, many have been widowed and orphaned. The number of orphans has increased in my county simply because we do not have a Bill on gold processing that can help us. That is why I support this Bill so that the poor people in different parts of this country who are trying to mine, create their wealth and become rich, can do that. The idea of having licences and corporation in place that can manage gold processing is one thing that we should all support. In my place currently, people just go and try to do what they can without any knowledge and licence. When they die, no one compensates them. They have no rights and maybe, they are there unlawfully. If this Bill will be passed, then whoever will be there will be under Gold Processing Corporation which will take care of licensed individuals and guide them on what to do. Part II of the Bill says the headquarters of the Corporation shall be in Nairobi. It may establish offices in other counties. This means that even if the headquarters will be in the city, the other branch offices can be in every county where gold mining or processing is done. This will help us a lot because it will reduce the risk. It will also protect the people who are involved in the business. If any unfortunate thing happens, they can be well protected. Under Clause 11(2)(a) of the Bill, a person shall be qualified for appointment as chairperson or member if he is a citizen of Kenya and holds a degree in geology, geophysics, mining, engineering, economics, business administration or law from a recognised university. 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."
}
]
}