"Joint Meeting between Base Titanium Mining Project Liaison Committee and Mining Host Communities on Compensation and Agreed Resettlement Action Plan"

Kwale County is endowed with huge mineral deposits...Despite these valuable resources, Kwale County is ranked among the poorest counties in Kenya with a population of 71% living below the poverty line...There  has  been  concern[s about] the exploitation by Base Titanium Company in  Kwale  County by local communities due to various reasons some of which are environmental considerations, health effects due to perceived high radioactivity, environmental degradation, inadequate compensation, inadequate implementation of PAP and community benefits-sharing amongst others. We are aware of the efforts the company has been doing to address host community concerns. However the affected communities are of different opinion on equitable benefit sharing from mining activities and inadequate measures taken in mitigating environmental pollution through provision of basic services to the mining host communities.

Hakijamii organized a one day meeting between Base Titanium Project Liaison Committee and Mining Host Communities on a “Compensation and Agreed Resettlement Action Plan”. Through the meeting it came out that...there are still communities living around the mining area who have not been compensated. Though the existing records show that they have been compensated...Only those with over 3 acres within the mining area were to be compensated. As a result, those with more than 5 acres were left in the part of their land that was not taken up by the mining. These people have no neighbors and have to walk long distances to access markets, schools, health care centres, etc...There was no proper awareness or education on their rights or proper compensation. Most of the individuals did not know what the proper amount of compensation was and are now suffering due to insufficient compensation. It came out clear that the local communities were not properly protected in the process of relocation.