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Mwingi Leaders agree to allow sand harvesting at Kiambeere Dam

 By Boniface Kanyali

Elected leaders from Mwingi and Kitui county government officials have agreed to bury the hatchet and come up with the necessary technicalities to allow sand harvesting to desilt Kiambeere Dam at Kiromboko area, amid a stand off which has seen sand harvesting in the area halted for months.

 

During a public participation meeting at Kiromboko in Tyaa Village, the residents and their representatives agreed to allow sand harvesting in the area, if the grievances which were raised by residents were to be resolved.

On his side, Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna urged the county government to prepare a memorandum of agreement outlining the procedures under which sand harvesting would be done and how residents were supposed to benefit from the exercise.

“We have agreed with the CECM for Environment Mr. Kuvasila to prepare the memorandum of agreement which should signed by all leaders in order to resume sand harvesting as soon as possible. I’ve never been against sand harvesting at Kiromboko, as long as it benefits my people,” said the Mwingi West MP.

Mr. Nguna said that sand harvesting in the area must take place through community-based organizations (CBOs) and the community must benefit fully from the exercise.

His counterpart from Mwingi North Eng. Paul Nzengu that the huge sand deposit at Kitui emanate from feeder rivers from Mwingi and the members of the community neighboring the dam must benefit.

“All the sand at Kiromboko emanate from our nearby shambas and it is good we use it to own benefit, before the neighbouring counties outsmart us,” pointed out Mr. Nzengu.

Mr. Nzengu said that there must be proper infrastructural development and maintenance in the area and the community must benefit from the desilting exercise by being allowed to load the tracks fetching the sand and getting a share from the revenue generated.

“The grievance which the community raised included; proper maintenance of the road between Mbondoni and Kiromboko by the county government, opening up of feeder road from Kamuwogo in Mwingi North to this area and getting a fair share of the money generated from sand harvesting. The residents are also opposed to any mechanized loading of lorries fetching sand, preferring their youths to be employed as loaders,” elucidated the Mwingi north legislator.

Kitui county CECM in charge of Environment Koki Musau on his side thanked the leaders for coming together to allow the exercise to resume, promising that all the grievances aired by residents would be put into consideration.

 

“I now fully understand what your grievances are and I promise that all would be put into consideration before sand harvesting commences. We will talk to the investor to ensure proper maintenance and watering of the road between Mbondoni and Kiromboko and fair share of the finances will come direct to the community through your CBOs. Also, I promise that all loading would be done by our youths in order to boost economy of this area,” said the Kitui CECM for Environment.

Mumoni MCA Johnson Kanandu on his side said that TARDA has written to the county government requesting to be allowed to desilt the dam and that’s how sand harvesting was allowed to take place in the area, despite the county assembly passing a motion banning all sand harvesting activities in Kitui.

“As the county assembly, we must do some amendment on the motion banning all sand harvesting activities or scrap it in totality in order to allow sand harvesting in this area due to the huge economic impact its has on our government and residents of this area,” pointed out the Mumoni ward representative.

End.

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