Gold
The residents of Ramula sub location in Gem Yala Sub County are calling on the government to ensure adequate public engagement was done before granting a foreign investor a gold mining licence in the area.
According to the residents there was no openness in regard to the matter and they were getting raw deal from the representatives they elected to champion their rights who have chosen to hoard information that would help them make informed decisions.
Speaking at Ramula trading centre, the residents led by Colonel (retired) Moses Adol said that the foreign investor was currently undertaking an economic survey where they were asking targeted individuals what they owned.
“This is after the investor completed a feasibility study, social impact assessment, relocation action plan and traffic survey without involving the locals,” he lamented adding that none of the village representatives they elected to act as a link between them and the investor has ever gone back to give the public feedback.
Col Adol said they were afraid that one morning they would find themselves displaced by the miner without any word, adding that their attempts to seek for information has been thwarted on several occasions by government officials who have been cancelling their requests for public baraza to discuss the matter.
A youth leader, Francis Omollo expressed fear that they might lose everything if no proper engagement was done to enable the parties to agree on the matter.
An elder, William Oricho lamented that he has been branded an inciter whenever he seeks for information in regard to the activities being undertaken by the investor’s agents.
“Ramula cannot be auctioned just because some of our children have agreed to be pocketed,” he said, adding that if there cannot be dialogue, then all the activities by the investor should cease.