Mining and Livelihood Outcomes in Kenya

This article examines how benefit-sharing mechanisms influence socioeconomic development in mining communities in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya. It addresses the persistent paradox that, despite abundant mineral resources, many mining communities continue to experience poverty, inequality, and limited access to development benefits. The study is premised on the view that equitable benefit-sharing, inclusive community participation, and effective governance are essential for translating mineral wealth into sustainable local development. Its objectives are to assess the influence of community participation, benefit-sharing mechanisms, governance and policy frameworks, and mining-related deficiencies on socioeconomic development, while examining the moderating role of the prevailing political, social, and economic environment. The article is theoretically informed by Institutional Theory, the Community-Based Resource Sharing Theory, and the Sustainable Livelihood Framework. Adopting a pragmatic mixed-methods approach, data was collected from 415 respondents using questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, with 322 valid responses analyzed through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, regression, moderation, and thematic analysis. The findings establish that benefit-sharing mechanisms are the strongest predictor of socioeconomic development, while governance, community participation, and contextual conditions significantly shape development outcomes. It recommends strengthening transparency, accountability, institutional capacity, and community participation to promote inclusive and sustainable development in Kenya's extractive mining sector