At least five female artisanal miners lost their lives when a gold mine collapsed at the Lumba gold mine in North Ramba, Rarieda sub-county, Siaya County.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on the afternoon of Monday, March 3, as a group of women entered a mining tunnel in search of minerals.
One woman remains missing following the collapse, with rescue efforts continuing into the night. By Tuesday morning, she had yet to be found, and authorities fear she may not have survived.
The tragedy comes just a week after a similar mine collapse in Rera village, Gem Wagai sub-county, claimed the lives of three artisanal miners, raising growing concerns about safety in the region’s mining sector.
Witnesses and police stated that six women were working in the mine when the shaft suddenly caved in around 3:00 p.m., burying them alive. Local residents rushed to the site and managed to recover five bodies after hours of effort.
Siaya County Police Commander Serah Koki confirmed the incident, stating that multi-agency teams had been deployed to aid in the search for the missing miner. Investigations into the cause of the collapse are ongoing.
The recovered bodies have been transferred to the Bondo sub-county hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations.
Gold mine accidents remain common in various parts of the country, prompting urgent calls for improved safety measures. Mining sites in counties such as Siaya, Migori, Kakamega, Moyale, West Pokot, Isiolo, and Taita Taveta have all reported multiple fatalities.
Authorities attribute the frequent collapses to unsafe mining practices, including the use of heavy machinery to crush rocks, which weakens the tunnels. Officials have repeatedly urged artisanal miners to halt operations until the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) conducts environmental impact assessments and provides safety guidelines.
Miners have also been instructed to acquire proper licenses before resuming work, with authorities warning against the use of hazardous equipment that compromises the stability of mining sites.
Despite government directives, many small-scale miners continue to operate under unsafe conditions, arguing that gold mining is their primary source of livelihood, even during risky rainy seasons.
Efforts are currently underway to introduce stricter regulations to enhance safety at mining sites.
