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As the Chair of the Kwale-based Base Titanium Post-Mining Land Use Committee (PMLU), PS Mining Elijah Mwangi led members of the committee and a section of Kwale County leaders in an inaugural meeting with hundreds of residents of the Kinondo area in Msambweni sub-county.
This meeting served as an introductory and foundational engagement for the upcoming public participation exercises.
The committee, comprising representatives from the Kwale County Government, Kwale County Assembly, National Government Administration Office (NGAO), Nema Kenya, Kenya Forest Service, State Department for Mining, and Lands, among others, is set to conduct a series of public participation activities.
These activities aim to gather and compile views from the public and other stakeholders on land optimization and best utilization for all movable and immovable assets by Base Titanium once the company concludes its operations in December 2024.
During the highly interactive session, which included Kwale County leadership such as Msambweni MP Hon. Feisal Abdallah Bader, Kwale Senator Hon. Issa Juma Boy, and several members of the Kwale County Assembly, PS Mwangi assured residents that their views would be considered by the committee.
To ensure maximum public engagement, the committee has developed a comprehensive and inclusive program that maps key stakeholders, including the general public, Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), special interest groups, and professional groupings. These stakeholders will provide their input during the public participation drives.
Additionally, PS Mwangi informed residents that no investor has yet applied for the allocation of Base Titanium’s land following the company’s exit.
Earlier, the PS chaired a meeting with committee members to establish the operational framework and engage in stakeholder mapping before the commencement of public participation exercises. The Post-Mining Land Use Committee is the first of its kind in Kenya under the 2010 Constitution. The parameters applied, the process of public engagement, and the final report generated are expected to serve as a blueprint for subsequent post-mine land use committees in the country.
