Kituo team was today in Kitui Law Courts for the hearing of a public interest case- ELC Petition 21 of 2021 Solomon Mulwa Mulyunga & Others Vs Athi River Mine & Others. Kituo was represented by its officials Advocate Tracy Wachira, Jacquelyn Jepchirchir, and Boniface Muinde.
The Petition pertains to more than 3,500 households that have long since resided on the expansive land in the Mathima and Kanziko regions and owned the land collectively before mining corporations contacted the community in bad faith in 2007 with the goal of prospecting and conducting mining activities without following the proper legal procedures.
In response to the community’s outrage, Kituo Cha Sheria was successful in securing an injunction preventing the mining corporations from prospecting and mining any more until the hearing and resolution of the issue.
The community believes that the respondents also failed to defend the people’s dignity, health, security, and environmental rights. Minerals including iron ore, gypsum, copper, magnesium, cobalt, semi-precious stones like blue sapphire and garnet, significant amounts of limestone, and minerals like copper, magnesium, and cobalt are abundant in the terrain.
Kituo was informed that the Court was in recess and was able to schedule a full hearing before Hon. Justice Lilian Kimani on May 18, 2023.
