By BONIFACE MWANIKI
Massive environmental degradation by sand harvesting cartels prompted Kitui senator Enoch Wambua to issue a strong worded press statement on Christmas Day detailing the extent of loss to both current and future generations.
The youthful senator laid bare the rip off orchestrated by shadowy Saccos which collect up to KSh6000 from every truck scooping sand. He told journalists that the cartels issue a receipt of KSh1000 per truck to be produced at cess points as evidence of payment. "It is a blatant rip off of our county resources by closely knit and dangerous cartel", he said.
From Senator Wambua's press release, Kitui county government has done little to fight the rampant environmental disaster. The largely arid and semi-arid county suffers from unregulated scooping of sand from its rivers as this affects its livelihoods.
"When these cartels descend on the rivers to scoop sand and ennrich themselves, they compromise a few community leaders and RUA officials. They lie to a section of the community that they have created jobs for the youth who load the trucks for peanuts", added Senator Wambua.
Despite the County Assembly of Kitui having enacted a law to regulate sand harvesting, cartels continue robbing current and future generations of their resources unabated. The Kitui County River Basins Sand Utilization and Conservation Act (2023) has done little in instilling sanity to the critical sector of our economy.
Nationally, the Environmental Managemennt and Coordination Act protects riparian zones. By cartels roaming the county to harvest sand, it is a violation of such law.
The senator concluded by tasking Governor Julius Malombe-led administration to outline measures it has put in place to regulate sand harvesting and conserve riparian ecosystems.
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