But the uncovering of bigger portions at the starting of August is what caught the consideration of many folks.

Kiarie reckons as rumours unfold, the quantity and dimension of the discoveries were exaggerated – drawing in ever bigger teams of folks with little or no mining expertise who hoped to replicate the reported early successes.

Since the preliminary rush, the quantity of prospectors has gone down to around 2,500 as some have given up the search.

While there is little doubt that some gold has been discovered in the space, questions stay about the dimension of the deposit in the earth and its industrial potential.

“I can confirm that small-scale gold traders told us they received an average of about 100 people every day,” the deputy commissioner says – though whether the finds were really gold is not identified.

Individual discoveries reportedly vary from quantities price a few hundred Kenyan shillings to one discover valued at roughly 78,000 shillings ($600).

West Pokot county borders Uganda, and communities on both sides have long-standing social and household ties.

Mugisha Godfrey, an artisanal miner from Busia in jap Uganda, travelled to Cheporor after listening to about the discovery from a good friend.

He instantly set out for the village spending about 100,000 Ugandan shillings ($27) to get there.

However, the residing situations in Cheporor are not beneficial, he says.

“We sleep under the trees, and when morning comes, we continue working. Sometimes we work both day and night,” Godfrey tells the BBC.

So far, he has discovered nothing. But he is not discouraged.

“We can’t return unless we find something. Only when we have found what we need can we go back home,” he says.