By Charity Nginyu
The Littoral Region of Cameroon is mourning the loss of one of its leaders Janvier Kunde, the Mayor of Mombo, who has passed away.
Reports have it that Janvier Kunde, a member of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), succumbed to illness on Friday, March 8, 2024.
In a communique dated Monday, March 11, 2024, the Senior Divisional Officer for Moungo, Yves Bertrand officially announced the passing away of Janvier Kunde.
‘The Senior Divisional Officer of the Moungo Division has deep regret to announce the death of Mr. KUNDE Janvier, Mayor of the Municipality of Mombo, which occurred on Friday, March 8, 2024, following a long illness,’ the communique partly read.
He went ahead to address his condolences to the family of the local administrative authority, and that of the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development.
News of his passing has reverberated throughout the region, with many expressing their condolences and fond memories of the late mayor.
Members of various political parties
, including the Cameroonian Socialist Party (SDF), after being informed of his demise, converged at his residence to pay their respects and offer support to Janvier Kunde’s family.
Source: Cameroon News Agency
The Government has issued a stern warning to all investors engaging in illegal mining activities within Kitui County and across the country, saying they would face the full wrath of the law once caught.
Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Mr. Salim Mvurya, speaking during a meeting with the Kitui County leaders held at the Governor’s Office Monday, said that his Ministry would ensure those who failed to acquire mining licenses from the government, would face legal action.
‘Illegal investors who have not been licensed by my Ministry, I want to tell them that the law is going to take its course, we will arrest and charge them in court,’ he warned.
The Cabinet Secretary called upon all investors interested in mineral exploration and activities, to follow the law by ensuring they have applied and been issued with licenses to extract minerals in all the country’s mineral rich zones.
He said the National government would partner with County governments in consultation with Coun
ty Mining Committees that were recently gazetted, in inspecting and ensuring that all investors operating in different regions across the County, have been licensed by the Ministry.
Mvurya said that his Ministry has recently gazetted Artisanal Mining Committee for each of the 47 counties in the country, with a view of lessening the burden of artisanal mineral miners.
The CS further advised unlicensed local county miners involved in mining activities, to form mining societies, so that they could be assisted by the newly formed County Artisanal Mining Committee.
‘We can no longer continue to allow pilferage of royalties by crude dealing by inventors. We have provided the right medium for license application and beseech those with interest to comply,’ Mvurya cautioned.
The CS observed that Kitui County is highly rich in minerals and ranked 2nd nationwide, with numerous minerals, which are already mapped, including copper, iron, limestone and coal, among others.
He also disclosed that his Ministry was in pro
cess of establishing a mineral lab for testing minerals locally, to avoid seeking the needed minerals lab services from Nairobi.
Mvurya was in Kitui County to share with the County leadership, the mineral opportunities in the County and establish partnership on how they could jointly turn the minerals wealth into money in the miners’ pockets, the local communities and the country at large.
Kitui County Governor, Dr. Julius Malombe, said his Administration is ready to partner with the Ministry to streamline issues to do with licensing, consent and management.
Three local Members of Parliament, Mr. Makali Mulu of Kitui Central, his counterparts of Mwingi North, Paul Nzengu and Kitui South MP, Recheal Kaki, regretted that despite massive mining activities taking place in the County, the local communities have not been benefitting from the their county minerals.
According to Section 183(5) of the Mining Act, 2016, the National government is entitled to 70 per cent, the County government 20 per cent and the co
mmunity where the mining operations occur to get 10 per cent of the revenue accruing from mining activities.
Malombe highlighted that the County government is ready to partner with the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, to conduct an exploration and document in detail the available minerals in the County, to boost the County’s revenue collection kitty and spar development countywide.
‘My County government’s plan of action, is to work jointly with your Ministry on preparing County mineral’s framework, to guide and operate on it as well as to get investors to tap these minerals for the benefit of our County and our communities. The potential is there and we now want to actualize it into financial gain to uplift the standards of our people,’ he noted.
The meeting expressed concern that the section in the Mining Act, 2016, touching on minerals has gaps, especially on enforcing law by security agents, to deal with illegal miners.
They agreed that the 2016 Legislation ought to be amended, so
to enable the County government and communities to benefit from their share of twenty percent and ten percent respectively.
‘I watch helplessly as illegal miners continue with their activities. Due to the gaps on mineral’s mining and transportation Act of the same, the miners have not even been paying cess,’ Malombe lamented.
Kitui County Commissioner, Mr. Kipchumba Rutto, while speaking during the meeting assured his office’s support towards identifying the illegal miners and enforcing the law accordingly.
‘It’s also important for miners to adhere to National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and other relevant departments to help in streamlining the industry in the county,’ said the Commissioner who also is the Chairman of the County Security Committee.
Other county leaders who attended the meeting included CS for EAC, ASALs and Regional Development Peninah Malonza, Kitui County Assembly Speaker Mr. Kelvin Kinengo and scores of county MCAs among others.
Source: Kenya News Agency