Tragedy struck again in Kenya’s artisanal gold-mining sector when four miners died after suffocating inside an underground shaft in Ntunyigi, Kuria West, Migori County.
The incident occurred on Saturday, 26 September 2026. Three workers had gone into the mine early in the morning; when they failed to return, the site owner, David Kinono Munanka, 41, entered the shaft to check on them and also did not come back.
Police and members of the public later arrived and used a large compressor borrowed from the neighbourhood to pump oxygen into the hole. Rescuers were then able to enter and retrieve the four bodies. The deceased were identified as Munanka, Ian Gati Mwita (20), Samson Nyangige (37), and a young man known only as Peter, estimated to be 23 years old. The bodies were taken to Kehancha Sub-County Hospital mortuary pending post-mortem examinations.
The deaths highlight the persistent dangers faced by artisanal and small-scale miners in Migori and similar counties. Many work in poorly ventilated, unregulated shafts with limited safety equipment. Similar accidents involving collapses, toxic gases and explosions have claimed lives in the region in recent months, prompting repeated calls for stricter regulation and better safety training.
Local authorities and mining safety advocates continue to urge miners to observe waiting periods after blasting, use proper ventilation, and avoid entering shafts when conditions are unsafe. Investigations into the exact cause of the suffocation are ongoing.
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