The Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Ali Joho, has assured residents of Kwale County and the wider public that the government is committed to transparency and accountability in the proposed Mrima Hills mining project. The Mrima project will be the first mining project in the country’s history to be taken through a tendering process as part of the effort of guaranteeing transparency,” Joho said. The Mrima Hills project is planned to extract rare earth elements (REEs) and niobium from one of the region’s largest known deposits. Joho said he was satisfied that the national government and the Kwale County Assembly were aligned in their approach to the project. The presentation covered the county’s mining potential, the significance of Mrima Hills, land classification and mineral ownership, and the legal framework governing mining activities.

Source: Daily Nation January 17, 2026 16:59 UTC