[File image of sand harvesters busy at work in Machakos County. [Photo/The Star]
Heightened conflict and tension were witnessed for the better part of yesterday (Friday) in the areas of Kaonyweni, and Miangeni in Kithyoko location, Masinga constituency, Machakos County when area residents clashed with sand harvesters who have been scooping sand at river Luuma and river Inyanzaa.
The sand harvesters interrupted a meeting which was organized by the area MCA Justus Kiteng’u to chart a way forward pertaining increased sand harvesting in the local Rivers. It took the intervention of a contingent of police from Masinga to calm the situation and have the meeting take place as it been organized.
In the meeting, residents from the area banned sand harvesting in all local rivers and vowed not to allow any lorry to enter their rivers for sand; as such illegal activities have ruined most of their rivers by destroying their water reserves.
Kivaa Ward MCA Justus Kitengu has blamed a group of brokers who led the exercise of sand harvesting in the area saying that he won't allow it to continue so as to preserve the Environment.
“The local administration in the area might be colluding with the sand brokers, that’s why they initially failed to provide enough security for the Baraza even after being requested to do so,” SAID kiteng’u.
Sand Brokers led by Muthini Kioko accused the area MCA of undermining their business and denying area youths of employment by banning sand harvesting which has been their only source of livelihood in the area.
Benson Nduva, a resident of the area said that sand harvesting is becoming a major environmental hazard in the area and if immediate measures are not taken, area residents will leave to regret from the impacts it would have to their Rivers.
Rebeca Mutuku, a woman from the area said that there has been increasing number of school dropouts in the area, as school going children drop out of school to go and scoop sand.
“Girls have also been largely affected by high cases of early pregnancies and defilement cases,” SAID Mutuku.