The government has launched new guidelines aimed at improving governance in artisanal mining, enhancing environmental protection and promoting safer, more sustainable mining practices as Kenya seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to the economy.

The Artisanal Mining Committee Manual and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Guidelines for the Mining Sector are expected to strengthen accountability, improve community participation and guide responsible exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday during the launch, Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hassan Ali Joho said mining had become a critical pillar of Kenya’s economic transformation, with the potential to create jobs, boost exports, support industrialisation and improve livelihoods.

Joho said the government aims to increase mining’s contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from less than one per cent to as much as 10 per cent by 2030.

He noted that achieving the target would require a well-regulated, inclusive and environmentally responsible mining industry, with artisanal and small-scale miners playing a central role.

The CS said artisanal miners extracting gold, gemstones and other minerals across the country were an important source of rural employment and income but continued to face challenges including informal operations, unsafe working conditions, environmental degradation, limited access to finance and inadequate technical support.

He said the Artisanal Mining Committee Manual would help address these challenges by strengthening grassroots governance, accountability, dispute resolution, workplace safety and coordination among miners, communities and government agencies.

The manual is also expected to support efforts to formalise artisanal and small-scale mining by improving organisation and encouraging miners to operate within established regulatory frameworks.

Joho said the Ministry would continue supporting miner training, capacity building and the establishment of mineral marketing cooperatives to help small-scale operators aggregate their output, improve their bargaining power and access better markets.

On environmental protection, the CS said the ESIA Guidelines would provide a framework for identifying, assessing, managing and monitoring the environmental and social risks associated with mining activities.

The guidelines emphasise public participation, environmental and social management planning, worker safety, respect for human rights, and responsible mine closure and rehabilitation.

Joho said the measures would help ensure mining activities leave communities with lasting economic benefits and restored landscapes rather than abandoned pits, environmental damage and unresolved disputes.

“Growth without sustainability is not transformation,” he said, adding that environmental, social and governance principles were essential to making Kenya’s mining industry competitive and attractive to responsible investors.

He noted that international buyers, investors and development partners increasingly expected mining operations to protect ecosystems, respect communities, safeguard workers and promote fair sharing of benefits.

Principal Secretary for Mining Harry Kimtai said improved coordination among national and county governments and other stakeholders was necessary to address longstanding governance challenges in the sector.

Kimtai said the Government was engaging stakeholders to develop a common approach to mining policy and regulation, with the discussions expected to culminate in a national mining summit in March 2027.

He added that regional engagements, including gold summits, were part of efforts to strengthen the participation of artisanal and small-scale miners and support their formalization.

Kimtai said clear policies and implementation frameworks were necessary to ensure miners could contribute effectively to the economy while operating safely and within the law.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said the two documents would provide practical tools for improving accountability, giving communities a greater voice and creating a more predictable environment for investment.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Programmes Madelena Monoja said the extractive sector supported more than 800,000 rural livelihoods, with artisanal mining providing an important source of income for women and young people.

She said the push to expand mining’s economic contribution must be accompanied by stronger safeguards for workers, communities and the environment.

Monoja said the UNDP, working with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the State Department for Mining and county governments in five counties, had supported efforts to strengthen artisanal mining committees, introduce participatory environmental monitoring, provide on-site compliance assistance and conduct occupational health assessments.

She called for increased investment in sustainable mining, stronger coordination among institutions and a multi-partner approach to implementing reforms.

Monoja also stressed the importance of financing mine closure and rehabilitation to prevent abandoned sites from becoming long-term environmental hazards and public liabilities.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Betsy Muthoni Njagi said responsible mining was essential to protecting marine ecosystems and aquatic resources, particularly where mining activities or chemical pollution affect rivers, lakes and the ocean.

She warned that mining-related pollution and chemical residues entering water bodies could threaten aquatic life, food safety and food security, underscoring the need for effective environmental safeguards.

The launch brought together government institutions and development partners, including the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, NEMA, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and UNDP.

Joho called on county governments, mining committees, miners, investors, civil society organisations and local communities to adopt and implement the new tools, saying their success would depend on practical implementation rather than the publication of policy documents.

He said the government would support the rollout through training for regional mining committees, county-level dissemination, capacity building for regulators and miners, and the development of implementation and monitoring mechanisms.

The two documents are expected to support Kenya’s transition towards a more organised, accountable and sustainable mining industry, balancing economic growth with environmental protection and the welfare of communities living in mining areas.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Betsy Muthoni Njagi said responsible mining was also essential for protecting marine ecosystems and aquatic resources.

She warned that pollution and chemical residues from mining activities could flow into rivers, lakes and the ocean, threatening aquatic life and undermining food safety and security.

Njagi said environmental safeguards were therefore necessary for both onshore and offshore mining, particularly given the links between healthy aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and livelihoods.

by Joseph Ng’ang’a and Samuel Njoroge