The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has launched a crackdown against illegal gold mining operators contaminating the River Yala basin, warning that offenders face immediate prosecution for ignoring environmental protection orders and deploying deadly toxic chemicals near local water sources.
Speaking during an enforcement operation in Chisango Village, Kakamega Region, James Nyang’eso, WRA Deputy Director of Regional Coordination, confirmed that unapproved mining activities are severely degrading the river’s riparian reserves.
”Most of these mining activities are being done without any approval from regulatory authorities, including WRA, NEMA, the county government, or the Mining Department,” Nyang’eso said. “Most of these companies are not in our database, making their operations illegal.”
Nyang’eso stated that WRA previously issued stop-work and land-reclamation orders to operators in the area. However, recent surveillance revealed that miners blatantly defied the directive, continuing intensive operations with heavy machinery, turning land upside down, and stripping native vegetation.
As a result of the breach, WRA is pursuing charges under Section 93(3) of the Water Resources Regulations. Enforcement will continue until operators fully rehabilitate the degraded land.
”We are not against the exploitation of mineral resources in this area,” Nyang’eso clarified. “What we oppose is mining without mitigation measures to safeguard our water resources.”
Water testing across gold-processing sites in the region throughout the week revealed alarming concentrations of toxic chemicals in runoff water.
Mutahi Jahara, WRA Assistant Director in charge of Water Quality and Pollution Control, highlighted that processing methods near the river utilize mercury and sodium cyanide among the most lethal substances known.
”We have been testing the runoff from gold leaching plants and found very high concentrations of cyanide,” Jahara said. “When it rains, these toxic chemicals wash straight into our river system.”
Under Regulation 93(7) of the Water Resources Regulations, commercial gold extraction along protected riparian corridors constitutes a proscribed illegal activity without explicit approval.
Jahara noted that while small doses of runoff might not cause instant human fatalities, higher concentrations pose an immediate lethal threat to livestock, aquatic life, and local communities.
”If animals drink this water when runoff enters the river, they can die on the spot,” warned Jahara, citing past reports of livestock deaths attributed to chemical pollution.
WRA officials confirmed they are compiling water test data and mapping illegal sites to support ongoing court proceedings as they prosecute all non-compliant operators.
