Positive peace and Mining policies in extractive mining sector in Kenya: Case study of Base Titanium mining Company in Kwale County of Kenya

Abstract

This paper uses Base Titanium Company mining activities to seek how nascent enacted mining policies could contribute to positive peace in the mining sector investment in extractive sector in Kenya. It interrogates these activities vis-a-vis application of the mining sector policies and evaluates their impact on the society living around Base Titanium. Through field study it looks at the benefits that the local communities have acquired from Base Titanium and it discusses the challenges of implementation of the mining sector policies at grassroots level. The success of application of nascent mining sector in extractive sector have not been thoroughly researched and documented in Kenya. While in the Kenyan context, major reforms in the mining industry have yielded mechanisms for managing mining industry. More specifically, the mining policies have provisions on mineral profit sharing, local participation, and gender issues. The net effects of these reforms are that there have been minimal open confrontations or disruptions of operations such as that of the Base Titanium mining industry in Kwale, Kenya. The existential policies on mining in Kenya did not take into the consideration the needs of the local community members and profits accrued were shared by the investor and the government. The nascent mining policies in Kenya are not perfect. However, they can be used as a case study to demonstrate how policy reforms that ensure all- inclusive-right based approaches as well as community participation would contribute positive peace in extractive sector in Kenya and beyond. The paper seeks to contribute to debate on natural resource management and peace and conflict studies. I study extractive mining sector because is a growing segment of Kenya’s economic sector