Marsabit: Five people killed by landslide at mining site closed by Gov’t in March

Five bodies have been retrieved from the Hillo mine in Dabel, Marsabit County, after a landslide.

Search and rescue efforts are underway at the mining site with locals saying more miners are still trapped underneath the rubble.

The Hillo mining field is the same one closed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki in March after deadly clashes between communities over mining rights.

Locals say security officials have been allowing mining to carry and collecting bribes from locals, despite the government shutting it down.

A dispute between rival factions at the mine two months ago led to the deaths of three people.

According to sources familiar with the situation, tensions erupted at the gold mine due to misunderstandings among the miners, which escalated into intergroup fighting.

Marsabit County Commissioner Norbert Komora then ordered the mine closed, and gave the miners 24 hours to vacate.

The government then launched an investigation into the happenings at the mine that led to the deaths.