GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 8980

IT IS notified to the general public that the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, pursuant to section 8 (1) of the Statutory Instruments Act, Cap. 2A, has prepared a Regulatory Impact Statement on the impacts and likely impacts of the proposed Mining (Mine Health, Safety and Environment) Regulations, 2026 on stakeholders, members of the public and other persons likely to be affected by the proposed Regulations. The proposed Regulations, namely the Mining (Mine Health, Safety and Environment) Regulations, 2026, have been developed pursuant to sections 178(2) of the Mining Act, Cap. 306, and the main objective of the Regulations is to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework governing mine health, safety and environmental protection in Kenya, covering occupational health and safety at mining operations, environmental protection and rehabilitation, artisanal and small-scale mining safety standards, tailings management, acid mine drainage, geotechnical safety, and enforcement provisions. Specifically the Regulations seek to— (a) establish minimum health and safety standards for all categories of mining operations; (b) provide for the protection of mine workers, third parties and surrounding communities from occupational hazards and diseases; (c) set environmental protection obligations for licence holders, including land rehabilitation and mine closure requirements; (d) regulate tailings storage facilities and acid mine drainage to prevent pollution of land and water resources; (e) provide geotechnical safety standards for open-cast and underground mining operations; (f) formalise and set safety standards for artisanal and small-scale mining operations; and (g) strengthen inspection, enforcement and penalty provisions to ensure compliance. Any person likely to be affected by the proposed Regulations may submit a written memorandum on the proposed Regulations within fourteen (14) days from the date of this notice. The written memorandum can be delivered on weekdays and during the official working hours from 8.00 a.m., to 5.00 p.m. or soft copies sent by email to: The Principal Secretary, State Department for Mining, Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, P.O. Box 30009–00100, Nairobi. Tel: 0202723101 E-mail: ps@mining.go.ke The Regulations and Regulatory Impact Statement can be accessed free of charge on the State Department for Mining website www.mining.go.ke and at all the offices of the State Department for Mining countrywide. Written submissions on the document should be sent in the format below: Part in the Regulation Regulation Proposed Recommendation Justification and Rationale e.g. Part II HASSAN ALI JOHO, Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.