Kitui residents protest sand mining in seasonal river

Residents of Nduumoni and Kwa Masesi in Kitui Central have protested illegal sand harvesting in Tiva River.

They said the activity threatens their ecosystem and the only source of water.

Irate residents claimed on Wednesday at Kwa Masesi that cartels were conniving with some families to conduct the illegal sand trade.

They are causing environmental degradation and a serious decline in water levels.

Patrick Ndolo said the unbridled sand mining had led to extensive degradation of the riverbed on which the community depends for water.

“The riverbed has become bare due to the uncontrolled sand harvesting. It is mostly rocky and the future of the majority of residents who solely get water here is at risk since water levels are declining by the day,” he said.

Ndolo, who is a bishop, lamented that the river has been invaded by illegal sand harvesters, who have destroyed it and left behind deep ditches that are dangerous for the people living nearby.

He said the county government has banned sand harvesting and nobody should be given a permit for it. 

The seasonal Tiva River, which was once a thriving horticultural area, is now a pale shadow of its glorious past due to unrestrained sand harvesting that has destroyed the river bed, collapsed riverbanks and dried water points. 

They asked the National Environment Management Authority and the county to strictly enforce the existing ban on sand trade besides ensuring that the culprits are punished. 

Danlewis Mbula lamented that the ongoing environmental degradation has led to the collapse of several rivers in Kitui and has continued to pose major threats to the ecosystem.

He said Tiva River is just a sample of what is happening in several parts of Kitui.

The residents called upon the county government to act with speed and curb the ongoing business to save the ecosystem.

John Muthui said, “Excessive sand harvesting activities have eroded the river banks and stretched the width of the river from the initial 20 metres to over 200 metres. This expansion has ploughed into adjacent farms." 

He said that in the past, the seasonal river was a major source of fresh vegetables due to the availability of water, adding that this was not the case any more as water points have dried up leading to the collapse of vegetable farms.

“The seasonal river serves over 6,000 residents of Kyangithya West ward. In the dry months of August and September, the river is descended upon by trucks and donkeys in search of water,” Muthui said.

He also said future generations were at potential risk if the river is not rehabilitated.

He said that a lorry load of sand costs less than Sh6,000 with no tax remitted to the county government.

Muthui called on Nema and the national government to intervene to avert a possible environmental crisis that might cost a lot of money for rehabilitation.

The quick cash earned for loading trucks with sand, according to Kathunge Mboya, has attracted many youths into the area with adverse effects of rising cases of drugs and substance abuse.

“The loaders, once paid for their services, retreat into cheap liquor dens where they spend all the day’s earnings. Many of them have left their families destitute and languishing in poverty," Mboya said.

She said that youths who once engaged in irrigation farming along the river have been rendered jobless adding that some have resorted to petty theft.

The villager said the river has more than five sand drawing outlets, which is contrary to Nema guidelines.

Kathunge said the river, which had created hundreds of direct jobs to youths, has lost its potential to support horticulture. 

At the same time, they have expressed concern that school going children might be taking part in the illegal sand harvesting activities under the cover of darkness, due to rising cases of dropouts in search of jobs.

“Disintegration of the family unit is imminent in this area. Most of the loaders spend nights at the river and later go to bars to drink. Kwa Masesi shopping centre that had one bar in the past has an additional three today targeting the loaders’ cash,” Kathunge added.

Kitui Nema director Njoki Mukiri said the County Environmental Committee will stop the sand harvesting and find a lasting solution to make it sustainable.

“We have noted that several rivers have been degraded. Urgent and radical measures should be undertaken to protect natural resources through the provision of guidelines to control and manage sand harvesting in the region,” she said.

Edited by R.Wamochie