Senator Hezena Lemaletian (Nominated) has raised concerns about the transparency and public participation surrounding the ongoing mining activities in Samburu County. Speaking in the Senate, she questioned whether due public consultations were conducted before the mining operations commenced.
While requesting a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, the legislator requested the Sen John Methu-led Committee to inquire and report to the House all local and foreign entities engaged in the mining operations in Samburu County.
She also tasked the Lands Committee to confirm whether these entities are licensed and compliant with the Mining (Strategic Mineral) Regulations of 2017 and assess the benefits accruing to the local community from these mining activities.
The Committee will subsequently establish whether individuals whose land is being utilized for mining purposes have been compensated.
In another Statement Request, Sen Lemaletian called on the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing to look into the dilapidated state of roads and the distribution of budget allocations towards road projects in Samburu County.
In a separate statement request, Sen. Lemaletian also highlighted concerns about the deteriorating state of roads in Samburu County. She called on the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing, chaired by Sen. Karungo Thang’wa, to address the condition of roads and the allocation of budgetary funds for road projects in the county.
“They also need to disclose how the budget has been distributed among various road projects with details of the specific allocations for different road segments and specify how much has been utilized so far on new road construction projects and for maintenance of existing ones,” she requested.
The Nominated Senator asked the committee to provide a comprehensive report on the status of all roads within Samburu County under the jurisdiction of the county government. She requested a detailed explanation of the challenges that have led to the poor state of certain roads and urged the committee to disclose the total budgetary allocations for road construction, repair, and maintenance in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 Financial Years. Furthermore, she asked for a breakdown of how these funds have been distributed across different road projects and how much has been utilized so far.
Sen. Lemaletian also called on the committee to outline the Samburu County Government’s plans for maintaining deteriorating roads, with specific details on the frequency of inspections and the criteria used to prioritize repairs. Finally, she emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the use of funds earmarked for road projects to ensure effective utilization of public resources.
