Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho stormed Madini House in Nairobi where mining processes and certification takes place, shocking the staff.
Joho wanted to familiarise himself with the processes of mining certification, where the minerals come from and how is the licensing done among other various critical aspects of the Mining Department.
Without informing any of the officials in the Mining Department, Joho made an impromptu visit at the Madini House in Nairobi, mesmerising the staff who were caught totally unaware.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the manner in which the department has been handled, Joho cautioned the staff that they will face the sack if they will ignore important protocols to be followed in streamlining the Mining sector in the country.
“From what I have seen here today, we really have a long way to go. Directors in charge of various mining departments do not know where the minerals extracted come from, they even don’t understand whether those indulging in the mining business are licensed or not. These are very serious issues we must immediately address to save the country from huge revenue losses,” said Joho.
The Mining CS questioned some of the officials in charge of the mining processes at Madini House though he did not get answers to his many queries.
“I strongly believe that those owning different Mining companies in the country have been bribing these officers so that they carry on with their illegal mining activities in the country, denying the government royalties,” said the mining CS.
He warned the staff that if they will not up their game and perform their roles as per the laws governing the mining sector in the country they will all be sent home and new staff employed to properly streamline the important economic sector in the country.
“In fact someone of you should show cause letters why they should be retained here. You people have failed your own government,” said the former Mombasa Governor.
One frightened staff who introduced himself as Paul Wambua is seen in a video stammering before the Mining CS, failing to answer to several questions raised by CS Joho.
Joho vowed to streamline the mining sector in the country stating to the government staff manning the mining sector that he wants a clear data of the minerals being excavated in the country, from which parts of the country do they come from, which and how many companies are involved in the sector, which parts of the world are the major recipients of the country’s minerals.
The Mining CS is among other Cabinet Secretaries who joined the Government from the opposition. Others who benefited from President William Ruto’s plum jobs are John Mbadi who took the Treasury Docket, his counterpart in the Energy docket Opiyo Wandayi and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya.
