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The bitter split in Mbeere lucrative sand harvesting business

Businesses in Mutuombare market in Kiambere ward, Mbeere South, Embu County, have been forced to shut down following a heated standoff over control of the lucrative sand business. The dispute, which has sparked growing unrest in the area, comes just days after residents of Karura launched their own Community-Based Organization (CBO), breaking away from the existing Kiambere Ward CBO—a move that has deeply divided the community.
Police clear barricaded Kivaa-Mutuombare road in Mbeere South.|MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT

The split has fueled fierce opposition from supporters of the established CBO, paralyzing the sand business. The situation escalated  when angry locals blocked the Kivaa-Mutuombare road by felling massive trees and rolling boulders onto the road, rendering the route impassable. The protesters also lit bonfires at several key points, further crippling transport and leaving many stranded.

The members of Karura CBO accused the leadership of the existing CBO of uneven distribution of resources of the proceeds of sand business which prompted them to open their own CBO and collect their own revenue for the development of this area.

The standoff has prompted a swift response from police, who worked to clear the road blocks.

Authorities are urging calm, but with the community bitterly divided, the situation remains volatile.

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT

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