Socio-Ecological Impact of Mining in Africa: An Examination of Fluorspar Extraction in Kerio Valley Kenya

Abstract

Over the last decade, there has been concern over environmental consequences of resource extraction in Africa. Academic discourse in social sciences hold divided opinion that mining companies are sources of economic growth and employment possibilities for the host communities. While the damage to the environment, security and health in general seems to outweigh the said benefits, there is need to offer a balanced view. These complexities challenge researchers and policy makers to address the dynamics of economic intensification and local scale land-use systems and their long terms implications. Fluorspar Mining Company's presence among the Keiyo of Kenya has traditionally produced opportunities for direct and indirect employment for the local population as well as new opportunities for commerce and exchange, thus reducing poverty and fostering economic progress. The operation of mining company, however, inside these areas, and their subsequent closure, may have presented environmental and economic difficulties for the local community, high crime rates, extensive unemployment, and rising dependency. This study thus addresses these controversies and how in particular, problem of environmental degradation directly impacts host communities. The paper examines the experience of Keiyo's despoliation by the Kenya Fluorspar Company to demonstrate the scope and dynamics of the challenge and highlight the significance of the role played by individuals and civil society organizations in securing accountability for one of the most difficult aspects of economic globalization. It employs legitimacy theory with the environmental justice theory to explain how mineral explorations affect the environment. By doing this, the social processes that have taken place under these circumstances will help to clarify the nature of the Keiyo economy's issues. Ultimately such an approach is best able to reveal the reasons for the poor performance of many African societies in post-colonial era. The study considers not only shifts in land use and valuation but also the ways that the Keiyo have come to conceive of, and work with local ecological dynamics.