Wanton mining in Homa Bay irks village lobby

 

The Rachuonyo North deputy county commissioner Aaron Koross with Kobuya location chief Damianus Osano and residents assess the sand harvesting areas in Kobuya

Residents of Kobuya village in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay county have petitioned Nema to act on rampant sand harvesting.

They said the activity left road reserves encroached, property endangered and the environment degraded.

In a petition to Homa Bay Nema director Josiah Nyandoro, the villagers said illegal sand mining has destabilised the landscape, exposing residents to landslides.

“As a result, the natural stability of the terrain has been compromised, increasing the risks of landslides that directly threaten property and the safety of residents,” says the petition signed by Isaac Aura.

They want Nema to enforce stringent measures against the perpetrators and stabilise degraded areas.

They asked the authority to guide the affected community to ensure long-term environmental sustainability and safety.

“I am willing to provide additional information to support this petition,” Nema should urgently deal with the matter,” Aura said.

The petition follows another by the Community Environmental Rights Advocacy Network that raised concern about the unchecked sand harvesting trend in Kobuya.

The lobby’s coordinator David Dimba cited wanton and indiscriminate illegal sand mining which has left dangerous gulleys near people’s private homes.

“As a citizens’ advocacy group, we are utterly disturbed that the actions your organisation has taken have not borne any fruits despite numerous raised earlier,” Dimba said.

Last year, officials from KeNHA said careless sand harvesting and encroachment of road reserves in Homa Bay interfere with road development projects.

KeNHA said people who carelessly harvest sand end up destroying adjacent roads. Affected areas include Karachuonyo, Suba North and Ndhiwa constituencies.

The agency said it will engage residents in sensitisation programmes to reduce the impact.

KeNHA regional director for Nyanza Julius Makodero said road destruction impedes development and may cause accidents.

“Sensitising residents is one to safeguard roads and road reserves. We want people to stop harvesting sand near the roads,” Makodero said.

The sand harvesting craze in Kobuya village has led to the loss of lives as miners carelessly cut trees. Besides the huge gullies left behind, the activity damages water pipes, roads and power lines.

Over the last three years, at least 10 people have died in Kobuya village alone after mines collapsed on them.

The gullies are also death traps, especially when it rains and they fill up with water. The huge gullies left behind by miners also promote soil erosion.

When he toured the area in September 2022, former deputy county commissioner Aaron Koross called for prompt action to save the situation.

“We need to act quickly to prevent loss of lives, road damage and destruction of the environment. We’re going to shut illegal mining sites after meeting land owners and Nema officers,” Koross said.

Residents say local authorities have colluded with county administrators to look the other way as the vice continues unabated.

by PETER OBUYA