Mining cabinet secretary Najib Balala (ijaranews.com)
Cabinet secretary Najib Balala told the Connected Kenya conference in Mombasa it will in future be possible to carry out a search on various licenses issued within the country.
Balala added the automation will involve the placing of data acquired by miners on a public platform, with the public then able to view details of the activities in the area and be reassured as to the transparency of the process.
“The data that the mining sector holds is enormous and has for a long time been kept in the archives by the government, however with the new constitution the government is entitled to offer data to the public as a way of ensuring accountability, enable comparability and ensure public participation,” Balala said.
“By offering such data to the public through our website we will empower citizens, especially in areas where the minerals are being mined, and help them understand why licenses were issued.”
Balala also said the ministry is in the process of creating a platform that will ensure the country is the region’s central marketplace for minerals and metals.
He said this would be an important step for a sector that has lagged behind on the technological and legislative front, with the laws governing the sector having been enacted in 1940.
