A dispute over land compensation threatens to derail plans by the government to revive flourspar mining Kimwarer.
This is according to Mining Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia, who told the Nation that the government is committed to ensuring that the Kenya Flourspar Company starts operating again.
“A lot is going on. Reviving the factory remains top priority,” he said. But the plans might be thrown into disarray after over 4,000 landowners who were displaced to pave way for the factory rejected a government offer of Sh120,000 per acre.
They instead want to be paid Sh1 million per acre, which they insist is the current market rate.
The compensation dispute has caused a rift among the displaced families with some of them demanding alternative land while others want to be given money as payment.
Another group has vowed to stay put, arguing that they have not been affected by the mining activities.
“The government should consider allocating alternative land to save residents from the high cost of buying land elsewhere,” said a local, Mr Micah Kigen.
The chairman of the Kimwarer Sugutek Community, Mr Joseph Kandie, said a head count was on-going to identify genuine beneficiaries: “Names will be verified before the final list is forwarded to the government.”
The Mining ministry has assured the residents that the government will compensate all genuine landowners irrespective of how they want the process to be implemented.
Mr Kaberia disclosed that they had also finalised plans to pay the affected families as well as ensure that the mining activities resume.
