Stakeholders and environmentalists in Kajiado County have urged the passage of legislation to regulate sand harvesting.
During a public participation forum in Kajiado town, stakeholders noted that unregulated sand harvesting had resulted in serious environmental degradation over the years and that there was an urgent need to control it in order to minimize the negative effects.
Sand harvesting was a ticking time bomb in Kajiado, according to Kajiado Youth Senate Representative Gideon Toimasi, and legislation to regulate the sector needed to be enacted quickly.
He stated that the region had suffered from environmental impacts such as riverbank erosion, soil erosion, wildlife habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, sedimentation of seasonal rivers, and tributary drying up.
Toimasi added that, in addition to the negative environmental effects, drugs, substance abuse, and child labor were on the rise, with many young boys dropping out of school to work as sand loaders.
The representative of the Youth Senate revealed that they had petitioned the County Assembly to pass the Kajiado County Sand Harvesting and Quarry Bill 2020, which would ensure sand harvesting regulation in the county.
The representative of the Youth Senate disclosed that they had petitioned the County Assembly to pass the Kajiado County Sand Harvesting and Quarry Bill 2020.
He claims that once the laws are passed, the sector will benefit all stakeholders, including sand harvesters and loaders, who are frequently taken advantage of by middlemen.
“Once the Assembly passes the bill, all parties will benefit equally, and there will be no more exploitation by rogue sand dealers.” “There will be rules governing how the community can harvest sand while protecting the environment,” Toimasi said.
Environmental activist Rashid Muzee echoed Toimasi’s comments, adding that many families relied on sand harvesting as a source of income but did not fully benefit from it due to exploitation by sand dealers.
“Once the bill is passed by the Assembly, all parties will benefit fully from it, and there will be no more exploitation by rogue sand dealers. There will be regulations on how the community can harvest sand while protecting the environment,” Toimasi remarked.
