Kenya Strengthens Its Legal and Regulatory Framework for Mining

Posted on : Friday , 2nd May 2025

The six tools are the Regional Certification Mechanism, Harmonisation of National Legislations, Regional Database on Mineral Flows, Formalisation of Artisanal Mining Sector, Extractive Initiative Transparency Initiative, and Whistleblowing Mechanism, according to Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimtai. Speaking at the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) secretariat meeting, Kimtai stated that Kenya has started its intended efforts to formalise the small-scale and artisanal mining industry and has made great progress in fortifying its legal and regulatory framework. Our commitment as a region must be to completely operationalise the six instruments, guarantee their integrity, and increase their effectiveness.

As a nation, we are actively working to conform to the requirements and are steadfast in our resolve to create reliable systems for tracking and monitoring mineral flows across the value chain. According to the PS, Kenya is eager to start the regional certification mechanism's implementation right away. This mechanism is a key component of the six tools and a crucial step in enhancing accountability, transparency, and traceability in the nation's mining industry.

To guarantee the successful and prompt implementation of these efforts, we will, when needed, request technical assistance from the ICGLR secretariat in this area," Kimtai stated. Access to resources and land is one of the main drivers of recurrent force in the Great Lakes Region, according to ICGLR Executive Secretary Amb. Joao Samuel Caholo. In 2010, the heads of state from the Great Lakes Region convened an emergency summit in Lusaka, where they announced a regional strategy and protocol to address the challenges related to mineral access, according to Caholo. According to him, the regional certification mechanism has been used thus far out of the six instruments against the exploitation of natural resources. We have revamped the minerals database program, and it is up and going,” he said, adding that so far of the six tools, the above two are being implemented with modest satisfaction among the member states. According to Amb. Caholo, as a secretariat, they have taken deliberate efforts to promote the formalisation of artisanal small-scale miners in the Great Lakes Region.