The proposed coal mining meeting in Mui Ward has sparked fresh controversy, with Kitui County Woman Representative Dr. Irene Kasalu raising questions over what she sees as an attempt to push a controversial agenda while sidelining the very people whose land and livelihoods are at stake.At the centre of the storm is President William Ruto’s administration, which now faces questions over whether it is genuinely seeking the consent of Mui residents or simply looking for a convenient way to secure approval for a project that has faced community opposition.In a strongly worded statement dated October 15, 2026, Dr. Kasalu took issue with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for convening a meeting on coal mining without involving key elected leaders and legitimate community representatives.Her message was unmistakable, Mui residents must not be duped into accepting decisions made about their future without their knowledge, consent or meaningful participation.Is the government manufacturing consent?Dr. Kasalu questioned the rationale behind convening a meeting that allegedly excludes key local leaders, warning that public participation must not become a political ritual designed to rubber-stamp decisions already made elsewhere.The concerns raise an uncomfortable question for the Ruto administration if the proposed coal mining initiative enjoys genuine community support, why would the process not embrace open consultations involving all elected leaders and affected residents?For a community whose land, livelihoods and environment could be affected, selective engagement risks creating the impression that the government is more interested in securing endorsement than listening to legitimate concerns.You cannot claim to consult the people while shutting out their legitimate representatives. And you cannot manufacture consent by assembling a handpicked audience.Dr. Kasalu maintained that the people of Mui had previously rejected coal mining, insisting that their position cannot simply be overturned through meetings involving politically convenient individuals.Her intervention puts the government on notice saying development cannot be imposed on a community under the guise of public participation. Residents deserve transparency about the project, its potential consequences, the benefits promised and the risks they may be expected to bear.The bigger concern is whether the process will give the people a genuine opportunity to shape the outcome or merely provide political cover for a decision that has already been made.President Ruto’s administration must answer legitimate questions about the transparency and inclusiveness of the proposed process. The people of Mui are not spectators in their own development, nor should they be treated as a population whose consent can be obtained through carefully stage-managed meetings.If the government is confident that coal mining serves the public interest, it should have nothing to fear from an open, transparent and inclusive process.Dr. Kasalu has drawn a clear line, opposing any attempt to revive coal mining discussions without genuine public participation.Her closing message captures the heart of the dispute:“Our land, our people, our future no decisions about us without us!”For Mui residents, the stakes are too high for political manoeuvres. Their land is not a bargaining chip, their voices are not a formality and their future cannot be negotiated behind closed doors.The Ruto administration must demonstrate that it wants to engage Mui residents in good faith, not secure their consent through a process that leaves them feeling deceived.