More than 250 youths from Tana River county engaging in sand harvesting from the deep waters of river Tana are up in arms over lack of support from both the national and county governments.
They have claimed that the government has left them alone to fight the tremendous challenges surrounding the activity that provide them daily bread as well as paying taxes.
The youths, mostly form four leavers, have pointed out that crocodiles and Hippos are among the dangers that frustrate their efforts and risk their lives as they harvest sand from the water with canoes.
Led by Bakari Ishmael, the youths who spoke at Laza Miembeni in Hola, Tana River County urged the government to provide them with a speed boat to help in patrol and scare away the dangerous animals in the river.
"A running speed boat engine scares away the Crocodiles and Hippos. Since we do not intend to injure or kill the animals, we request the government to provide us with a speed boat," said Ishmael.
He added that higher taxes and lack of their transportation means had left them with little income from the activity as the cost of hiring a lorry to transport the sand from the bank of the river to construction sites outweighs the income.
To increase the profits and expand the business, the youths appealed to the government to empower them with two ten-tire lorries.
“If the government is unable to empower us with the two lorries, we are ready to be employed by the government at contract bases where our salaries will be collected to buy the lorries," noted Ishmael.
Responding to the woes of the youths, the Senator for Tana River County Juma Wario promised to partner with the county government of Tana River in mobilizing builders from the county to buy sand from the youths
"We need to help these youths commercialize and expand this activity. Hundreds of youths have self-employed themselves here. Let us all buy sand from these youths,” said Wario
He also challenged the county assembly of Tana River to draft and pass a law that will compel builders in Tana River county to obtain sand from the youths.
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