Kenya is set to strengthen its position in the regional minerals trade with the construction of the Lidambitsa Gold Refinery in Ikolomani, Kakamega County, now at an advanced stage of development.
According to Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo, the facility will be Kenya’s first modern gold refinery built to international standards and is expected to transform how the country’s gold and other mineral resources are processed and traded.
The refinery is being developed as a flagship project of the Ministry of Mining, with its completion expected to boost local mineral processing and value addition while increasing returns from Kenya’s mineral resources.
Once operational, the facility will provide a structured and transparent market for artisanal and small-scale miners, giving them an alternative to informal brokers and enabling them to access fairer prices for their gold.
The project is also designed to process other minerals commonly found alongside gold deposits, including silver, copper and zinc, allowing more value to be extracted from the country’s mineral resources locally.
Complex designed as regional hub
The expansive Lidambitsa complex will comprise a gold processing plant, laboratory, administration block and secure storage facilities.
Other planned facilities include a power house, staff accommodation, cafeteria, clubhouse, helipad and police post.
Omollo said the scale of the development is intended to position the facility to serve not only Kenyan miners but also the wider East African region.
The refinery is expected to create employment opportunities, stimulate businesses in the surrounding communities and increase government revenues from the mining sector.
For artisanal and small-scale miners in the region, the facility could provide a more formal channel through which minerals can be sold and processed.
Security measures to support mineral trade
The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration is also playing a role in supporting the project through coordination and security oversight.
Omollo said security would be critical in creating a safe and regulated environment for mineral trading once the refinery becomes operational.
The security framework is expected to help address mineral-related fraud, illegal trading networks and other illicit activities that affect legitimate miners and investors.
According to the PS, protecting the integrity of the mineral trade will be essential to sustaining the sector’s long-term growth and ensuring that legitimate players benefit from the country’s mineral wealth.
The development of the Lidambitsa refinery comes as Kenya seeks to move beyond the export of raw minerals by increasing local processing and value addition.
If successfully completed and operationalised, the facility could provide a central point for processing gold and associated minerals while strengthening Kenya’s role in the East African minerals value chain.
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