Kenya’s Gold Rush: The Goat Herder’s Lucky Find?
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Did a Goat Herder’s Lucky Nugget Spark a Gold Rush in Western Kenya?
A goat herder from a remote area of western Kenya, 33-year-old Manasse Lomachar, claims his accidental discovery of a three-gram gold nugget worth 36,000 Kenyan shillings ($280; £205) led to a gold rush in Cheporor.
When news spread, thousands of prospectors, both from Kenya and neighbouring Uganda, flocked to the area, transforming bushland into a bustling mining site.
It is unclear if Lomachar’s find or other recent discoveries sparked the rush, but local authorities estimate around 10,000 people arrived at its peak.
For many, the prospect of finding a valuable nugget is a chance to improve their lives, especially those reliant on farming for their income.
Patrick Lokolia, a farmer and herder from Napawoi village, joined the gold rush hoping to earn extra money for his family. "I have children in school, and paying school fees has been a challenge," he says.
Abigael Chelengat, an 18-year-old from a nearby district, arrived at Cheporor hoping to find enough gold to pay her school fees and support her younger siblings.
Behind them, hundreds of people work tirelessly, using hoes and shovels to hack into the rocky ground or sifting through riverbed mud in search of gold.
Samuel Kiarie, the deputy commissioner of West Pokot county, attributes the rush to two notable discoveries of substantial amounts of gold by young men and women panning along a seasonal riverbed.
