BY CORRESPONDENT
Sand harvesting in Kitui County has taken a new
twist as now sand brokers are taking advantage of the many unemployed youths to
illegally operate the business, anyone who raises a voice against scooping of
sand is threatened or even roughed up.
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| The devastating state of Nguutani River due to illegal sand harvesting |
Although the county assembly of Kitui had passed a
motion making sand harvesting without proper documentation by NEMA illegal, some
rivers like Nguutani River and River Kivou have been left in devastating
conditions as sand cartels continue to draw sand from the rivers illegally.
Few weeks after she was elected into office,
Governor Charity Ngilu had promised to put a permanent end to the perennial illegal
sand harvesting problem, which has been ruining local rivers at the expense of
Kitui residents.
At Nguutani area in Mwingi west constituency in
Kitui County, two people were seriously injured Wednesday after a group of
rowdy youth stormed and destructed a meeting which had been organized by local
leaders to discuss the issues surrounding illegal sand harvesting in the area.
Word had reached sand cartels in the area that plans
were underway to ban sand harvesting in River Nguutani, amid uproar by
residents and major concerns over why uncontrolled sand scooping has been
allowed to continue illegally in local rivers despite the matter having been
reported to the local authorities time and again.
Suddenly, while a group of local leaders were
inspecting the effects of illegal sand harvesting in River Nguutani, a group of
youths armed with pangas, catapults and shovels started hurling stones to the
leaders injuring two and the rest having to run for their life. One of the
injured persons was rushed to Matuu Level IV hospital, while the other was
treated at a nearby dispensary and later discharged.
Christopher Nzili, the chair of Mwingi West
Professional Forum which had organized the meeting said that sand harvesting has
dealt local rivers in the area major destruction and despite having delivered a
memorandum demanding an end to sand harvesting at River Nguutani to Governor
Ngilu three weeks ago, the process is still on-going.
Mr. Nzili said that water table in the area has gone
down due to effects emanating from sand harvesting and water shortage has
become the order of the day for the residents who have been left with nowhere
to fetch water as all their water catchment areas have been destroyed.
“You can see for yourselves how illegal sand harvesting
has ruined River Nguutani, I wonder how many decades it would take refill the 10
feet depth of sand which has so far been harvested,” Said Mr. Nzili.
He warned that the residents are planning to hold
major peaceful demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with the way the
issue is being handled, adding that they are tired of sitting and watching while
rogue people ruin their environment.
“We will pursue all legal means possible to ensure
that we put a permanent end to illegal sand scooping which is currently ruining
our rivers, soon we will hold major demonstrations if immediate actions are not
taken to safe the situation,” added Mr. Nzili who is a lawyer by profession.
Simon Kyangu, a business man at Nguutani market says
that illegal sand harvesting has left residents suffering from lack of water
and roads in the area have been left in bad state as heavy tracks ferrying sand
from the rivers have destroyed them.
“Our women have been left with nowhere to fetch
water, sand scooping has left our rivers completely dry, and water table in our
rivers has continued to go down and down,” articulated Mr. Kyangu.
Mr. Kyangu called upon governor Ngilu to intervene
and safe the situation before it’s too late to do so.
David Kasina, a resident of Thitani location in
Migwani sub-county said that all the sand in water catchment areas where the
locals used to fetch water and take their animals for water have been destroyed
and they have been left suffering unexpected water shortages.
Mr. Kasina also raised a major concern over the
state of the road and the danger being posed by the Lorries which most times
enter their rivers with their number plates removed in order to hide their
identity.
“Transport in the interior places has been dealt a major
blow as the heavy trucks have completely destroyed them, the amounts of dust
emanating from the roads is also unbearable,” Lamented Mr. Kasina.
He warned that there is likelihood of the locals to
suffer airborne diseases such as Tuberculosis due to the heavy amounts of dust
coming from the roads whenever the heavy trucks a passing by.
The residents are hence calling for immediate
intervention by the county government of Kitui led under the leadership of
Governor Charity Ngilu in order to ensure that illegal sand harvesting doesn’t
continue in their area, at their expense.
End.
MWINGI TIMES for timely and authoritative news.
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