Governor Mutula Warns Sand Harvesting Cartels as Makueni Steps Up Crackdown on Illegal Extraction
He said the county would invest in technology and infrastructure that would allow Makueni to move into value addition of sand once finances are available.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has issued a strong warning to those behind illegal sand harvesting, vowing that his administration will not allow cartels to continue plundering the county’s natural resources. Speaking in Wote on Monday, the Governor said unregulated sand extraction remains a major threat to the county’s water security and environmental stability.
Some have operated like organised cartels, reaping sand resources for personal benefits and leaving the local communities to the mercy of depleted riverbeds and drying water sources, observed Mutula. He emphasized that the county would heighten enforcement of existing regulations to stem the malpractice.
“My administration will not back down from enforcing the strict regulations that govern the sand sector. I will ensure the rogue cartel networks are dismantled as they are profiteering at the expense of local communities,” said the Governor when he addressed staff of the Makueni Sand Conservation and Utilisation Authority.
The authority, which manages environmental sand conservation, has been collaborating with county enforcement teams to monitor the movement of sand, establish licensing procedures, and sensitize the community on environmental protection. According to Mutula, it is no longer tolerable to continue destroying river ecosystems when climate change is already wreaking pressure on available water.
He cited progress realized in Kilome Sub-county, where the ban on sand harvesting has helped restore local riverbeds and improve water retention. He said that this success has now become a model, which the county intends to replicate in other affected areas.
Beyond conservation, Mutula disclosed that the county is looking at long-term interventions aimed at converting sand from a raw material into processed, high-value products. He said the county would invest in technology and infrastructure that would allow Makueni to move into value addition of sand once finances are available.
“My administration intends to invest in technologies and infrastructure that will enable Makueni to process sand into high-value products once resources allow. This initiative is expected to boost county revenue and create jobs for residents,” he said.
He emphasized that the county is not only targeting a complete stop of the illegal harvesting but also strives to make Makueni a leading county in good resource management. He appealed to the residents to support conservation and report any cases of illegal extraction. The county government has repeated its commitment to natural resource protection for the benefit of future generations through responsible environmental stewardship as the enforcement operations continue.
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