Annual budget KES. 2 billion | Website mining.go.ke | |
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Formed March 4, 2013; 4 years ago (2013-03-04) Preceding agency Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Headquarters Kenya Works Building, Ngong Road
P.O. Box 30009, 00100
Nairobi, Kenya Agency executives Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Mining
Patrick Omutia, Principal Secretary | ||
The Ministry of Mining of the Republic of Kenya is a Kenyan government ministry that oversees the Mineral sector in the country.
Contents
The Ministry was established as an independent ministry after the 2013 general elections. The government realized that the mining industry had the potential to spur the countries economic growth . Previous to its establishment all mining related activities in Kenya were overseen by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
Hon. Najib Balala a jubilee government principle was appointed as the first Cabinet Secretary to run the newly formed ministry.
History
The ministry has been pursuing changes in the mining sector. In 2013, the ministry revoked 31 mining licenses for minerals ranging from base and precious metals, industrial minerals, non-precious minerals and gemstones. As of 2015 the number rose to 65. The ministry claimed that the contracts were issued under unclear circumstances.
In the time between January and May 2013 out of all 500 mining licenses issued only 20 were found credible. revocation of the 65 licenses by 2015 the Ministry of Mining opened up 4.5 million acres of land to new explorers.
Mandate
The overall mandate of the ministry is to oversee the mineral sector in Kenya but more specifically to:
Directorates
These are the directorates of the ministry that help organise the ministry's functions. They include: