Garissa(Mogadishu24)-Leaders in Garissa County, northeastern Kenya, are urging the government to lift a year-long ban on gypsum mining imposed due to insecurity in the area. The ban, which has been in place since August last year, has significantly impacted the local economy, leading to job losses and financial strain on mining companies.

In a joint press conference held yesterday, former Balambala parliamentary aspirant Mohamed Aress, alongside other elders, highlighted the benefits that mining companies had previously brought to the community, including employment, food and water supply during droughts, and support for educational institutions.

“Insecurity should not be used to curtail genuine companies from carrying out mining activities that are benefiting hundreds of our people,” Aress said.

The leaders also called on newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Hassan Joho, to develop a plan for adding value to gypsum in the coastal and northeastern regions. They argued that there is no direct link between insecurity in Garissa town and the mining activities in more remote areas like Balambala, Korakora, and Alinjugur.

The mining ban was enforced by the Regional Security Committee and the County Government following clashes at the sites that resulted in the deaths of at least nine people. The closure has left around 200 people jobless and caused significant financial losses for over 20 companies involved in the industry, which claim to be losing 200,000 Kenyan shillings monthly.

Residents and local leaders continue to call for the ban’s removal, emphasizing the critical role that mining plays in the region’s economic stability.