Governors Julius Malombe (Kitui) and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) told the Senate that they have put in place measures to manage sand harvesting in the counties to prevent environmental degradation.
Dr Malombe and Wavinya who appeared before the Senate Lands and Environment Committee on Thursday acknowledged that while sand is an essential commodity in the construction sector it should be harvested in a manner that will conserve the environment.
The Kitui governor told the committee that his administration set up Kitui Sand Harvesting and Management taskforce that drafted a Bill which seeks to govern issues around the sand harvesting value chain to eliminate cartels.
"The Bill if passed by the county assembly will ensure that there is value for the renewable resource where the county government will have proper control on sand traders and where the county government will earn revenue from the resource," he said.
He explained that the proposed law is also intended to ensure controlled sand harvesting, environmental conservation and protection of rivers.
Malombe said that the Bill seeks to have those found to have contravened the set guidelines punished.
He told the committee that the county will construct 2,400 sand dams across the rivers and suitable sites. The county also plans to ensure the development of sustainable sand harvesting management policy, promote and facilitate training and community sensitisation on matters of natural resource and environmental management.
Wavinya admitted that there is rampant sand harvesting in Machakos County which has led to several environmental and social impacts including reduced water retention that has resulted in drying rivers.
"Unregulated sand harvesting has led to lowering of the water table hence causing desertification, increased soil erosion and siltation of rivers reducing water volumes and affecting its quality," she said.
The governor told the committee that unregulated sand harvesting has sometimes led to deaths due to landslides and collapsing of tunnels. She regretted that sand harvesting has led to social ills like unplanned pregnancies, and increased drug and substance abuse among the youth and school-going children in the region.
Machakos County Sand Harvesting Act 2014 amended in 2022, provides for the establishment of a County Sand Harvesting and Management Committee and a legal framework for sand harvesting and registration of sand harvesting cooperatives.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda had sought a statement on the actions undertaken by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and relevant departments to ensure sustained enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to natural resources including sand harvesting in Kitui county.
"The committee should provide details of guidelines formulated and implemented by the Kitui county and the National Environment Management Authority in relation to sand harvesting with a specific focus on managing and mitigating the impact of sand harvesting on the environment and host community," said Mutinda.
The Nominated Senator sought to have Kitui County and Nema carry out regular monitoring and inspection in order to guarantee compliance with environmental regulations regarding sand harvesting and recommend measures to stop illegal sand harvesting in the county.
Nema Director General Mamo Boru Mamo said Kenya has experienced a boom in construction and unregulated sand harvesting is an environmental disaster in the making and they are working with various government agencies to ensure the situation is under control.
Mamo revealed that the Authority has recruited 200 environmental Inspectors across the country to ensure that those who carry out activities that may contribute to environmental degradation face the law to serve as a lesson to others.
