The US government has appointed the son of famed geologist Campbell Bridges and gemstone pioneer from Taita Taveta County to a key US-Africa trade committee.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) appointed Bruce Bridges to its Trade Advisory Committee on Africa (Taca) for a four-year term from May 20, 2026, to January 23, 2030.
His appointment by US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, places him at the centre of discussions on trade relations between the United States and Africa, at a time when the Donald Trump administration is increasingly showing interest in Africa’s critical and rare earth minerals including in Kenya.
Campbell Bridges, who was killed at Kambanga in Mwatate District.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Taca advises the USTR on trade policy and development matters affecting countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and plays a crucial role in shaping trade agreements and economic partnerships between the United States and African nations.
According to the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) where Mr Bridges serves as President, he is also the President and Managing Director of Bridges Exploration Ltd in Kenya, controlling mining concessions that cover over 2,000 acres in Taita-Taveta County.
In a statement, Ambassador Greer praised Bridges' expertise and industry experience.
"We believe that your experience and perspective will make a valuable contribution to the Taca, and we greatly appreciate your service," Ambassador Greer stated.
The late Campbell Bridges, is credited with discovering Tsavorite, one of the world's most valuable green garnets in Taita Taveta.
The Scottish-born Kenyan geologist transformed East Africa's gemstone industry through his discoveries and relentless promotion of African gemstones to international markets. In August 2009, Campbell was murdered during an attack linked to a long-running mining dispute at the family's Tsavorite mine in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County.
The family recently paid tribute to the late mining icon while accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf.
Among Campbell’s most notable achievements was introducing the first Tanzanite gemstone to the US and to Tiffany & Co., which later named and marketed the gemstone globally.
His greatest discovery, however, was Tsavorite, first identified in Tanzania and later discovered in Kenya after he relocated his operations to Taita Taveta. That discovery would eventually earn Tsavorite recognition as Kenya's national gemstone.
"Through his innovation, courage, expertise and dedication, Campbell Bridges built a thriving international industry that has supported hundreds of thousands of people around the world for nearly 60 years," the family noted in their recent tribute.
The late British geologist Campbell Bridges' son Bruce Bridges (left) and other relatives from Britain follow proceedings in the case against eight Kenyan suspects charged for Campbell's murder in August 11, 2009 in Taveta within Taita Taveta County, in November 27, 2012.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
AGTA Chief Executive Officer John W Ford Sr., who will serve as liaison to the committee, said the appointment reflects the growing importance of the gemstone trade in international commerce.
In 2014, four individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with Campbell’s murder. Despite the convictions, the family has continued to face challenges surrounding mining operations in Kenya.
Bridges Exploration Limited, the family-owned company established by Campbell, has remained largely dormant since its mining licence expired in 2016. According to company manager Philip Syengo, repeated efforts to secure a license renewal have failed despite numerous engagements with government officials.
"Due to licensing challenges, we are losing a lot of money because we have to pay the workers who are still there. We are forced to sell some of our resources to sustain them," said Mr Syengo.
The company once employed more than 200 workers but has been forced to retain only a small team to maintain the mining site. Mr Syengo said the delays have imposed significant financial strain on the company.
"I have been knocking on doors. The department has cleared us. They have verified everything, but still they are taking us back and forth," he said.
After years of legal battles, licensing disputes and invasions by illegal miners, Mr Bridges announced plans to donate the family's vast mining property in Voi, Taita Taveta, to conservation efforts. The land lies along a critical elephant migration corridor linking Tsavo National Park and Tanzania.
"They have cost us millions and millions of pounds over the last 17 years. After nearly 55 years of my family in Kenya, we could leave with pleasant memories," Mr Bridges said in a recent interview while explaining the decision.
Campbell arrived from Scotland and built a life in Kenya, discovering gemstones that would later become internationally renowned. Beyond mining, he developed a deep love for East Africa, writing songs about Mount Kasigau and the region's landscapes while raising his family in Nairobi.
The US has significant and growing mineral interests across Africa, driven by the global demand for critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, semiconductors, defense systems, and advanced manufacturing.
Washington views these minerals as strategically important because China currently dominates much of the global supply chain for their processing and refining.
Kenya is not currently among Africa's largest mineral producers, but the country has attracted growing interest because of rare earth elements. The deposits have been identified at Mrima Hill in Kwale County.
Rare earths are essential for magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and military equipment.
In addition, the Port of Mombasa, makes the country an important logistics hub for mineral exports from East and Central Africa.
Africa holds some of the world's largest reserves of critical minerals, including Cobalt which largely found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; copper which abundant in the DRC and Zambia; Lithium found in countries such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Mali; Graphite in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Tanzania.
