Kitui Governor Julius Malombe's administration has committed to respecting the position of riparian communities opposed to the harvesting of sand in their regions.
Environment Executive Richard Mwendandu now says Kitui residents are free to oppose sand mining and trade.
“Where a community decides they do not want sand scooping in their area, that is going to be respected. Let us not lose the powers of the Constitution. It is the citizens who hold the power over how they want their lives managed.
"However, communities should not be scared of tapping natural resources. They are an endowment for communities to build livelihoods,” Mr Mwendandu told the Nation on the sidelines of a forum on forestry at Kitui Town on Friday.
Mr Mwendandu's remarks came amidst growing public outcry as some riparian communities, which tap sandy river beds to address water shortage, clash with hirelings of sand merchants determined to scoop sand.
A new study on sand trade by Professor Kennedy Mkutu of Usiu, Dr Michael Owiso of Maseno University, Dr Jan Bachmann of the University of Gothenburg and Dr Bernard Musembi Kilaka of both the University of Gothenburg and Maseno University says the conflicts over sand across the country have intensified in recent months in the wake of a construction boom fueled by President William Ruto's affordable housing programme.
To address the conflict over sand, Kitui County government has intensified efforts to streamline the lucrative sand industry. Governor Malombe has set up a team to operationalize the Kitui County River Basins Sand Utilization and Conservation Act, 2024, which seeks to regulate sand harvesting and trade in the county in a bold move which underscores his commitment to streamlining the lucrative sand industry, which is controlled by powerful cartels.
The 12-member team known as the Kitui County River Basins Sand Utilization and Conservation Committee is the top most organ in a three-tier system fashioned by Dr Malombe to regulate sand harvesting and transportation. The other components of the three-tier mechanism which the county government has deployed to manage the sand value chain are cooperative societies based at the river basins and community groups based at the sand harvesting sites.
Nguutani residents at the Nguutani River in Kitui County. The river has been devastated by illegal sand harvesting and residents have taken the government to court.
Photo credit: FIle | Nation
Dr Malombe has also embarked on constructing 2400 sand dams across the rivers and streams running across the vast county as part of the measures to restore rivers degraded by wanton sand harvesting. His administration banks on the restoration of degraded rivers and the planned regulation of the lucrative sand industry to grow its revenue, create job and business opportunities, address food and water insecurity, and conserve the environment.
“The sand committee is set for its inaugural meeting with sand dealers. Sand transporters and all dealers should know there is a new sheriff in town. All the sand dealers will now have to align their work with the committee’s guidelines and requirements,” Mr Mwendandu said.
The moves by Dr Malombe come against the backdrop of growing public outcry over wanton sand harvesting in rivers crisscrossing Kitui County. According to environmentalists, unregulated sand mining has exposed Kitui residents to the vagaries of climate change.
A week ago, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka waded into the sand crisis. He called on Dr Malombe to reign in on uncontrolled sand harvesting to avoid turning the semi-arid region into a desert.
“Wanton sand harvesting and uncontrolled charcoal production is turning Kitui County into a desert. More than 300 trucks full of sand leave rivers in the Mwingi region daily. This cannot be allowed to continue. We need to do something about it as Kitui leaders,” Mr Musyoka said at a church in the Mwingi region recently.
