Rescuers carry the body of Tom Okwach, a miner who had been trapped for close to seven months at a mining site at Abimbo village in Sakwa Bondo in Siaya County on June 26, 2022.
At least 60 people have died in mining sites in four counties over the past six years, a new report exposing Kenya’s deadly mines shows, while indicating the death toll could be higher as some fatalities are covered up to protect the businesses.
The report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu on artisanal mining operations reveals that Kakamega, Kisumu and Migori lead in the number of reported deaths between July 2016 and June last year. It further reveals that more people could be dying at the gold, gemstone, sand and quarry mines across the country, but the deaths are going unreported as miners fear such reports could lead to closures.
