Geologists survey landslide prone areas in Murang'a

Mining Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi. [Robert Tomno, Standard]

Geologists have embarked on a survey of landslide-prone areas in Murang'a County to avert disaster in future.

Mining Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi said the senior geologists were conducting seismological surveillance and assessment in the county where landslides leave a trail of destruction and death.

The PS spoke at Murang'a University of Technology (MUT) where he accompanied Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome during the dissemination of the Fourth Medium Term Plan 2023 - 2027 to stakeholders.

Landslides have occurred in Mathioya, Kangema, Kigumo, and Gatanga sub-counties leading to a devastating loss.

Mwangi explained that the geologists' report will assist the government in planning for the lands in the catastrophe-prone localities following recurrent landslides.

"Seismological surveillance and assessment by geologists was requested by Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata to help understand what could be done on the parcels of land affected by the catastrophe," he said.

The first team kicked off the assessments in Kangema and the rest will move to other sub-counties.

On the creation of opportunities for the youths and levies to the county governments, the PS said Murang'a, Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties stand to benefit from kaolin soils used in making tiles.

Mwangi regretted that local youth remain idle as tonnes of the special type of soil is transported kilometres away to Nairobi to benefit other counties.

"The special soil in high demand is found in Mugoiri, Gakonya, Mukurweini and parts of Kirinyaga. We need to have details to enable investors who will establish tile processing plants in those localities for the benefit of our youth," he said.