Official plays down study on mining conditions

Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala addressing journalists on January 29, 2014. A report by a Canada-based think tank, which names Kenya the worst country on the continent in mining investment attractiveness, has been dismissed by the government. FILE PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• “The mining sector has improved significantly between 2013 and 2014, but the report shows that our ranking has dropped within the same period,” Mr Athman said in an interview with the Nation.
• According to the report, Kenya managed position 120 out of 122 countries that were included in the survey, which was carried out last year, dropping from position 79 in 2013.

By NATION REPORTER
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A report by a Canada-based think tank, which names Kenya the worst country on the continent in mining investment attractiveness, has been dismissed by the government as ignoring the conditions on the ground.

The Ministry of Mining terms the Survey of Mining Companies 2014 report released last month by Fraser Institute as malicious, saying it fails to consider developments that have recently taken place in the sector.

According to Principal Secretary Said Athman, the study also locked out key local institutions which “could have provided authentic information” regarding the industry.

“It is basically a perception thing, which makes it very difficult for us to comment on such a report because it is not based on facts.

“The mining sector has improved significantly between 2013 and 2014, but the report shows that our ranking has dropped within the same period,” Mr Athman said in an interview with the Nation.

According to the report, Kenya managed position 120 out of 122 countries that were included in the survey, which was carried out last year, dropping from position 79 in 2013.

Uganda and Tanzania performed better than the country at positions 92 and 56 respectively. The survey did not include Rwanda and Burundi.