Did a goat herder’s lucky $200 nugget spark a gold rush in western Kenya?
News
A goat herder from a remote area of western Kenya has told the BBC his discovery of a golden nugget has sparked a gold rush, overwhelming his small village over the last few weeks.
When people found out that 33-year-old Manasse Lomachar had sold his three grams of gold for 36,000 Kenyan shillings ($280; £205) several weeks ago, he believes this led to the arrival of thousands of prospectors in Cheporor.
And it is true that what last month was just bushland and rough grazing ground near the village is now scarred by pits, mounds of earth and makeshift mining camps.
Details
It is not clear if was Lomachar’s lucky find or other recent discoveries that sparked the excitement. But local authorities estimate that about 10,000 people arrived at the height of the rush.
Even a small amount of the precious metal can transform the futures of these men and women – from Kenya and neighbouring Uganda – many of whose precarious lives rest on an unreliable farming income.
People do sometimes pan for gold in these parts – but rarely find anything significant.
Analysis
Lomachar’s says his discovery came about purely by chance. While he was searching for a missing goat he encountered a group of women panning along a riverbed.
“I joined them, and that’s how [the village] realised there was gold in this area,” he says.
Farmer and herder Patrick Lokolia, from neighbouring Napawoi village, joined the gold rush hoping to earn some extra money to support his family.
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