One of the three people who died in a gold mine collapse that took place in Shinyalu, Kakamega County is a kin to Senator Bonny Khalwale.
On Tuesday afternoon, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) political leader said that he had lost a nephew in the deadly incident that took place on Monday night.
“I am currently at Machilisi village in Shinyalu Constituency, where a goldmine collapsed last night trapping 22 men. So far, 19 rescued 3 feared dead, including Sasita Chui, my nephew,” Khalwale said in a statement.
According to the Kenya Red Cross in an initial statement released just minutes after the collapse, a total of 12 people had been trapped.
However, it later emerged that the number was more than the Red Cross had announced.
By 8pm, a total of seven people had been released and they formed part of the informants that more people had been trapped.
The senator now says that there was an importance in relooking into the laws that guide the mining sector.
He alleged that such tragedies are caused by cartels in the gold sector within Kakamega County who do pass laws fraudulently in order to go on with the business.
