BY ADMIN
Residents of Mwingi town yesterday barricaded the
Mwingi-Garissa highway and offloaded all the charcoal from a lorry ferrying the
commodity from Mwingi to Nairobi, in a bid to fight illegal charcoal business
which is seen as a major threat to the ecosystem in the region. The other Lorries
who escaped the wrath of the angry mob had to seek refuge at Mwingi police
station. This has brought a new twist to charcoal and sand business in the
region.
Yesterday’s incident follows a directive which was issued by
the Governor of Kitui Charity Ngilu banning all charcoal and sand businesses
within the county.
Governor Charity Ngilu had issued a statement last week
banning all charcoal burning and sand harvesting in the County, to curb massive
destruction of trees and rivers in Kitui which has resulted in to poor rains
and perennial drought.
“We cannot sit and watch while rogue people continue ruining
our environment. We must put an end to illegal charcoal burning and sand
harvesting in Kitui county from today,” Said Madam Ngilu.
There has been public outcry in Kitui County following rampant
illegal charcoal business which has seen many trees go down as clueless
residents continue burning charcoal without planting trees, hence ruining the
environment.
Despite leaders coming out strongly to condemn the business,
nothing much has been achieved as more and more Lorries continue traversing the
county purchasing charcoal from the locals. This is what has forced Mwingi town
residents to take drastic measures in ensuring the business doesn’t continue
under their watch.
However, some actions like residents looting vehicles
ferrying charcoal should not be tolerated and the police should take charge in
the fight against illegal charcoal and sand businesses.
Just last week more than Ten lorries ferrying charcoal were
arrested at Mwingi but after thorough inspection to the documents in their
possession, only two were found operating illegally.
Addressing the issue, Mwingi Police OCPD John Nyamu said
that police at Mwingi will remain vigilant to ensure that no one operates the
charcoal business at Mwingi central without proper authorization and possessing
the required documents.
“We won’t stop until we ensure that total sanity reigns in
the charcoal and sand business in Mwingi central sub county, proper inspection
will be done to lorries ferrying charcoal and sand through in order to ensure
that they are doing so within the confines of the law,” Said Mr. Nyamu.
Speaking to the press at Mwingi town, the group of youths
who led the protest vowed not to allow any lorry ferrying either charcoal or
sand to pass through the town.
“We are tired of seeing rogue people continue ruining our
environment under our watch, we will allow no more Lorries to pass through
Mwingi with charcoal and sand from our land,” chanted the angry youths.
This has brought a new twist to the business as no one would
risk their vehicles to ferry charcoal from Mwingi due to the threats posed by
the group of the youths.
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