Two lorries have been set ablaze in Mwala, Machakos County.
The vehicles were burnt by the irate residents at Nyanyaa village in Mbiuni ward on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred after the locals found out that despite their warning and complaints, the trucks have continued to harvest sand in the area.
"We have been against sand harvesting and we have warned them many times. But since they are stubborn, we decided to burn the lorries so that others with such behaviors can learn a lesson," resident Martin Muli said.
Some locals accused police officers from the region of encouraging illicit sand harvesting in the area by accompanying the culprits to the sand-rich sites to ferry the resource.
"We know that the police officers are involved. They have been escorting the lorries when going to the sites to load sand," resident Mutuku Kieti told this writer on Saturday.
The residents complained over increased sand harvesting in both Kabaa and Mbiuni areas claiming that the act makes rivers dry.
"We can't let them do this. When we keep the lorries increase, this leaves our rivers dry and our roads destroyed by heavy vehicle." Kieti said.
The drivers and turnboys escaped unhurt.
Owners of the two vehicles were not immediately established.
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