A bitter dispute over a vast gold deposit in Kakamega County exploded into violence Thursday, leaving at least three people dead after police opened fire on residents protesting a planned community meeting. Several others, including police officers and journalists, were seriously injured in the chaos.

The deadly clash underscores the escalating tensions between the local community in Ikolomani and Shanta Gold Limited, a British-based firm. The company plans to develop a large-scale underground mine to extract gold deposits valued at an estimated KES 683 billion, a project that requires the relocation of approximately 800 households. Thursday's violence erupted when residents tried to block officials from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the company from holding a public participation forum at Emusali Primary School.

Witnesses reported that protestors blocked roads with bonfires and stones before storming the school, where they clashed with police. Western Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamoud alleged the three slain individuals were "goons hired by local politicians" who had attacked his officers with crude weapons. However, community members insist they are defending their ancestral land from being unlawfully acquired for a private commercial venture.

A Community on Edge

For months, residents have voiced strong opposition to the project, citing a lack of transparency and inadequate community engagement. A memorandum submitted to NEMA highlights fears over environmental impact, the fate of cultural heritage sites, and the absence of a clear resettlement plan. "We have not been told where to go after relocation. This process must be open and transparent," one resident, James Shivachi, noted.

The community's grievances include:

• Lack of Consent: Residents argue their ancestral land cannot be lawfully acquired without their consent for a private project.
• Poor Public Participation: Petitions from July 2025 remain unaddressed, with claims that crucial documents were not translated into local languages.
• Livelihood Threats: The project threatens the survival of artisanal miners who depend on small-scale extraction to feed their families.

The violence also turned on the journalists covering the event. Several were attacked, with their equipment either stolen or destroyed in the mayhem.

Questions Over a Golden Future

The government has attempted to reassure the community, promising a transparent benefit-sharing formula based on the Mining Act of 2016. Under the proposed model, 10% of royalties would go directly to the local community, 20% to the county government, and 70% to the national government. However, deep-seated distrust remains, fueled by what some local leaders call a "land grab" in disguise.

As investigators begin to piece together the events of the fatal clash, the community in Ikolomani is left mourning its dead and facing an uncertain future. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the human cost when the promise of immense national wealth clashes with the rights and livelihoods of the people living above it.