Fury as Mining Communities Revolt Over ‘Unfair’ Royalty Split in Kenya
Mining communities across Kenya have voiced growing anger over the government’s newly operationalised mineral royalty sharing framework, warning that the current formula sidelines host regions and denies them meaningful benefits from natural resource extraction.
The dispute centres on the Mining (Mineral Royalty Sharing) Regulations, 2026, which came into force in January under the Mining Act 2016. The regulations were designed to streamline the collection and distribution of mineral revenues, introducing a structured framework for disbursing royalties across national and local levels.
Under the current model, the national government receives 70 per cent of mining royalties, while county governments are allocated 20 per cent and host communities a further 10 per cent.
However, this arrangement has come under intense criticism from local miners and community representatives, who argue that the formula fails to reflect the environmental, social, and economic burden borne by communities living near mining operations.
“We cannot allow for the community to get 10 per cent,” said Hesborn Musambayi, a representative of miners working with Rosterman, a gold mining firm in Kakamega County. “That 10 per cent is not even given to the community directly. It goes to the county government, which then uses it for development. Even when we ask for our community share, we never get it.”
Community leaders claim that the current system effectively places their share under the control of county administrations, limiting direct access and raising concerns over transparency and accountability in how the funds are utilised.
George Mbavi, chair of miners at Rosterman, called for an overhaul of the disbursement mechanism to ensure communities receive funds directly.
“The 10 per cent should be given directly to the community through registered groups or administrations,” he said. “But saying it should go to the National Treasury and be disbursed through the development fund, we feel we are being taken advantage of.”
The concerns have also been echoed at the national level, with the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation questioning whether the current formula adequately compensates communities most affected by mining activities.
The committee has proposed a review of the revenue-sharing structure, suggesting that host communities should receive the largest share, followed by county governments, with the national government taking the smallest portion.
Appearing before the committee, Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho defended the framework, insisting it establishes a transparent and accountable system for managing mineral revenues.
However, he conceded that delays in disbursement remain a major challenge.
“The Treasury sometimes takes too long to disburse funds to the community,” Joho admitted. “We want to see timely disbursements.”
The growing discontent now raises fresh questions about whether the government will be forced to revisit the contentious formula amid mounting pressure from communities demanding a greater stake in the country’s mineral wealth.
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