Gachagua Accuses Ruto of Using UNGA Trip to Pursue Mrima Hills Mining Deal

Kenyan opposition leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of using his visit to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly to pursue a deal involving niobium and rare-earth mineral deposits at Mrima Hills in Kwale County.

Gachagua, leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), made the allegation while addressing Kenyans in Kansas City, United States, on September 20. He claimed Ruto’s UNGA trip was also intended to advance or finalise arrangements with American companies for the exploitation of the deposits, which he said are worth trillions of Kenyan shillings.

He further alleged that foreign companies were being positioned to benefit from the mineral resources while communities around Mrima Hills continued to face economic difficulties. Gachagua also alleged that Ruto would personally benefit from the proposed arrangement, although he did not provide evidence in the reported remarks to substantiate the claim.

The allegations come amid ongoing discussions between Kenya and the United States over critical minerals. In September, US officials said Washington wanted to support Kenya in developing local processing and other industries around its critical mineral resources, including the niobium and rare-earth deposits at Mrima Hill. Reuters reported that two US-based consortia and four other companies were competing to develop the site.

Kenya’s government, however, has maintained that no mining licence has been issued for Mrima Hills. Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho told Citizen TV earlier this month that the project had not reached the stage of granting a mining licence.

Government records show that Mrima Hills has been designated for the award of mineral rights through a public tender. The State Department for Mining invited expressions of interest for the development of niobium, rare-earth elements and other minerals at the site, with the process structured around the Mining Act and regulations governing the award of mineral rights by tender.

The proposed development is also facing a legal challenge. The Centre for Litigation Trust filed a petition at the High Court in Kwale in June seeking to suspend implementation of the proposed Kenya-US mining agreement. The organisation argues that Parliament, the Kwale County Government and affected communities should be involved and has sought disclosure of the agreement’s terms.

Mrima Hills has attracted particular attention because of the reported scale and strategic importance of its mineral deposits. The area is believed to contain niobium and rare-earth elements used in industries ranging from specialised steel production to advanced technologies. Government and industry estimates have placed the potential value of the deposits in the billions of US dollars, with Kenyan reports citing figures in the region of Sh8 trillion.

Gachagua has called on Kenyans, particularly residents of Kwale, to closely scrutinise how the country’s mineral resources are managed. He has also indicated that he is considering legal action over the proposed exploitation of the deposits.

The dispute therefore remains centred on two separate questions: the future development of Mrima Hills and the terms under which Kenya could partner with foreign investors. While Gachagua alleges that Ruto is using his US visit to secure a mineral deal, the government’s position is that the Mrima Hills project remains within a formal development and tender process and that no mining licence has been issued. The High Court challenge is separately seeking judicial scrutiny of the proposed arrangement.