Siaya leaders are calling on the national government to come up with basic safety guidelines to curb the rising number of deaths at artisanal mining sites.
Gem Member of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo and Siaya Governor James Orengo say there is an urgent need for a national discussion on how best to manage small-scale mines across the country.
They spoke separately in Gem constituency following the death of three miners at Rera village in Gem Wagai sub-county after a gold mine collapsed on them early Sunday morning.
At Sirandu village in North Gem ward, Odhiambo stated that the issue requires urgent attention from all stakeholders. "Going forward, I will engage the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Ali Hassan Joho, to have a structured approach to how mining should be done," Odhiambo said, emphasizing that the country cannot continue risking lives in mining activities.
