Naema Tandao 
PURITY NELIMA
Gold mining in parts of Lurambi, Ekolomani and Khwisero in Kakamega county, has been a venture where locals have employed ingenious ways to mine the precious stones by use of shaft mining methods. The methods havent been so profitable and exposes them to dangers as they lack modern equipments.
The locals might however have their fortunes town around with the arrival of an investor intending to set up gold refinery in Rostaman in the outcast of Kakamega.
Under the arrangements the investor is to meet the cost of mining equipments and construction of shafts they take 75% of profit while minors take 25% in November last year their were reports of a possible eviction of more than 8000 families from three villages to pave way for another investor whose visibility study indicated the activities couldn’t go on with the residents residing in the area of operation.
The mining act 2016 provides for the shaving of royalties from gold mining based on 70,20 and 10%for national, county and community respectively and should the blueprint delay then all parties, especially artisanal miners, turn to benefit most in terms of capacity.
There are more than 15000 small scale artisanal miners in Kakamega county alone with more than 300 shafts.
