𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵

Five people perished after a gold mine caved in on them in the Lolgorian area, within Transmara South, Narok County, on Wednesday afternoon. Confirming the incident yesterday, Narok Police Commander Patrick Lobolia said some other miners were believed to still be trapped at the Kilima Pesa gold mine. Lobolia said rescuers were dispatched to the scene to assist in the mission amid challenging conditions.

He regretted that the rescue mission was progressing slowly due to a lack of specialised equipment needed to safely access the underground tunnels.

“Those on the ground have no specialized equipment to help in the rescue mission,” he said, adding that several survivors had, however, been rescued and rushed to nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment.

Mr. Lobolia said the bodies of the five victims were taken to Lolgorian Sub-county Hospital’s mortuary, pending postmortem, formal identification, and release to their families for burial.

Yesterday’s incident follows a similar one within the same area on February 12, where two miners aged 27 and 25 died after an underground tunnel at an abandoned mining site collapsed on them.

Following a series of mining accidents, the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs launched nationwide consultations on the draft Mine Health, Safety, and Environment Regulations to replace the repealed Mining Act. The proposed regulations seek to strengthen safety standards by requiring rigorous machinery inspections, adequate underground ventilation, and stricter health and safety measures.

The document also requires every mining operation to have a qualified mine manager with a degree in mining engineering, civil engineering, or geology, besides making use of personal protective equipment mandatory for all workers.

Kenya has several gold deposits that have attracted dozens of miners who earn their livelihoods from the activity.