Gold discovery halts Kenya-Tanzania highway construction

Construction of a highway connecting Kenya and Tanzania has been suspended in Migori County after gold was discovered in the excavated soil. The discovery occurred near the border town of Isebania during earthworks on August 2.

Local residents, many of whom have experience in artisanal mining, noticed gold-bearing stones being unearthed by excavators. The news drew large crowds to the site, prompting contractors to request intervention from police and local authorities to manage the influx of people attempting to recover metal particles using manual washing methods.

Project manager Enos Odum stated that government laboratory tests have confirmed signs of gold in soil and rock samples taken from the site. While the exact scale and concentration of the deposit remain unconfirmed, the Migori greenstone belt is a known area for small-scale mining and hosts companies such as the London-listed Goldplat. Some locals reported earning significant sums, with some claiming to have made up to 20,000 Kenyan shillings since the discovery became public.