Kenya investigates gold mine collapse killing 15

Kenya announced on Friday that it has launched investigations following a gold mine collapse that killed at least 15 people.

The incident occurred at an informal artisanal site in Rumos Hills, in Kenya's northwestern part, on Thursday evening, when a large stone fell and collapsed a section of the mine, burying workers alive, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen issued a warning against illegal gold mining in West Pokot County, particularly commercial operations conducted without a license.

Murkomen has also instructed security agencies to arrest individuals engaging in unlicensed commercial mining, stressing that those involved will be prosecuted.

The crackdown follows a series of fatal mine collapses in areas in northwest Kenya, which have raised urgent safety and environmental degradation concerns.

Several community members engage in informal artisanal gold mining as a primary or supplementary livelihood, often without the necessary technical skills or safety equipment.

Driven by limited employment opportunities, residents often resort to mining in hazardous conditions to evade authorities.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli