At least four people were killed while five others were injured after a gold mine collapsed early Saturday morning at Karon village in West Pokot County.
The injured were rescued and rushed to hospitals in the area.
West Pokot subcounty Deputy County Commissioner Wycliffe Munanda said the miners had ventured into the pit around 3 am when the pit caved in, burying them under the debris.
“We understand some nine people were inside the pit when it caved in. The five who were injured have been taken to Kapenguria County Referral Hospital for treatment,” he said.
The bodies of the four deceased, who included three males and one female were moved to the hospital’s mortuary for post-mortem, Munanda said.
The miners had returned to the site at night using picks and hoes, unaware that the soil had become loose after excavators had dug the pit during the day.
“They used manual tools at night not knowing the ground was unstable. We have accounted for all the individuals who were trapped. No one is missing,” Munanda added.
West Pokot County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif condemned a section of local leaders for allegedly inciting residents against police officers who had responded to the emergency incident.
“The issue of mining must be approached carefully, and leaders must understand the laws and regulations governing mining operations,” Khalif said.
He assured residents that the national government is actively working to resolve the ongoing mining challenges.
West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin sent condolences to the bereaved families and called for urgent action to improve safety in mining areas.
“This is a painful moment for our county. I send my sincere sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We must work together to ensure such tragedies are prevented in future by enforcing safety regulations and protecting the lives of our people,” Kachapin said.
Pokot South MP David Pkosing also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and criticized fellow leaders whom he accused of sabotaging safe mining efforts.
Pkosing blamed the political interference for the fatal incident, saying, “If the machines had been allowed to operate, those who died would still be alive today. Shame on those irresponsible leaders. Now people can see their real intentions.”
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to enforcing safety and legal compliance in the region’s mining sector to prevent further tragedies.
Gold mining is still rampant in several parts of the country despite warnings that the sites are unsafe.
Such incidents are common in gold mining sites amid calls for safety measures to address them.
The miners are accused of using heavy machines to excavate the products, which weakens the walls, hence the collapse.
West Pokot is among those with gold deposits and hence attracts residents who venture there to make a living.
Similar incidents have also been reported in other parts of the country, including in Lirhembe village, Ikolomani in Kakamega county and another in Manyatta village, Vihiga county.
To deal with some of these challenges, the government has also directed those involved in mining activities to stop operations for the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to conduct an environmental impact assessment to give the ecological guidelines before mining operations can resume.