Mara residents reject 5bn/- compensation as too little

Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, Charles Kitwanga

About 5bn/- meant for compensation of North Mara residents has not yet been collected since 2012/13, because the recipients maintain that it is too little, the House was told yesterday.

 

Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, Charles Kitwanga made the statement when responding to a question from Esther Matiko (Special Seats) during the question and answer morning session.

 

Matiko wanted to know the reason for allowing mining activities to continue at the Nyabigena site without bearing in mind the health of residents, including pupils of Nyabigena Primary School who have not been relocated.

 

Matiko also wanted to know government measures to ensure  the compensation of residents of Nyamichele and Murambwe whose land was valued in 2012/2013. She said these had not been compensated by the investor as the law directs.

Further, she blamed the government over failure to oversee the compensation of people living around the North Mara Mine who she clamed got meager compensation.

 

Kitwanga said ACACIA Mining Plc, formerly known as BARRICK, had already compensated some residents who were living within 200m of the mine. However, those outside the 200m will not be compensated, he noted.

On the relocation of Nyabigena Primary School, the minister said ACACIA Mining Plc had already set aside 600m/- for it. 

 

“What remains is the village to identify an area that is fit for constructing the school,” he explained.

 

However, he informed Nyamichele residents that their land was no longer required by the mining company. He said they should therefore continue developing it.

 

On the compensation of villagers for their crops that were destroyed during the valuation of Nyakunguru Village, the minister said that the government was looking at the payments before the company is ordered to pay.

 

“It is not true that the government has failed to oversee the compensation payments for residents surrounding the North Mara Mine. The problem is that some residents who were supposed to receive the compensation refused and said it was small.

 

“Until now there are cheques amounting to 5bn/- whose owners have refused to collect claiming that the compensation is very small,” he told MPs.

However, Matiko said the minister’s answers had left a lot to be desired because what he said was not what was happening at Nyamongo.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN