West Pokot county commissioner Khaliff Abdulahi (centre) with other government officers at Kampi Karaya gold mines in West Pokot County where a woman died after the gold mines collapsed enforcing an order to close mining sites in the county on June 16, 2025.
The government has ordered the immediate closure of all illegal gold mines in West Pokot County.
This follows a recent surge in mining-related fatalities, including eight deaths in the last three months and an incident in which a woman was buried alive.
West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi announced the closure of over 500 illegal sites, banning mining with heavy machinery while allowing artisanal mining with hand tools to continue, provided licences are obtained within three months.
The government has ordered the immediate closure of all illegal gold mines in West Pokot County following a spike in fatalities and mining-related tragedies in recent months.
County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi issued the directive on Monday and deployed the county security team to enforce compliance.
