Two artisanal miners were killed on Sunday July 12, 2026 in the morning after a gold mine pit collapsed at the Bar Kalare mining cluster in Nyadiwa village, Gem constituency, Siaya County.
Co-workers identified the victims as Phineas Odhiambo, 28, and Michael David, 32. Both were buried alive under sand and soil while working deep inside the shafts.
The collapse occurred at about 10:00 AM, according to local site leaders and eyewitnesses. Mboya Edwin, a miner who was stationed at the top of the pit, said he heard a sudden, unusual sound from below.
“I was up and two were down,” Edwin said. “We heard a sound. Afterwards, we called those who were nearby so that they could come help us see what was happening. As we entered down there, we found that two had been buried by sand.”
Local rescue teams and fellow miners rushed into the shafts but recovered the victims already dead. The two had reportedly worked at the site for about three months.
Francis Aremo, an elected local leader and Siaya resident, said the collapse was likely caused by overlapping shafts. “Those who were inside the pit did not know there was another pit that had been dug on that side,” Aremo explained. “When they entered inside, they were startled as they entered into that pit, which is why soil came from above and fell on them.”
The tragedy has prompted renewed calls from the mining community for urgent government intervention to provide safety gear and improve structural support. Community leaders said they try to shore up pits with timber beams, but their limited earnings make it impossible to buy essential protective equipment.
“We ask the government, if you can help us with helmets, gloves, and gumboots to do this work,” said Maurice Otieno, chairperson of the Bar Kalare artisanal miners cluster. He urged authorities to help miners operate where safety is guaranteed.
This is the latest in a series of fatal accidents at the local mines. Elderly community member Vitalis Odero said it is the third mining tragedy to hit the area and noted that previous incidents claimed other young residents, including his grandson.
Despite the risks, many youths say economic hardship leaves them with few alternatives. “We are struggling here and there to get our sustenance,” said Silas Kwendo, a fellow miner. “We do not want to be called thieves again because there is no other work that we can do. I am telling the youths… let us not lose heart, and this is not the end of the journey… let us mourn while we are together, finish the burials, and return to work to look for our daily sustenance as usual.”
Local leaders are urging national and Siaya County governments to intervene, regulate shaft safety and provide protective resources to safeguard the hundreds of youths who depend on the mines for daily living.
