Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua has raised alarm over what he says is unchecked and illegal sand harvesting in Kitui County, warning that continued extraction from seasonal rivers could trigger serious environmental damage if left unchecked.
The senator, who is also the deputy minority leader in the Senate, said dozens of lorries are still accessing the Kitui River daily to collect sand, an activity he described as unlawful and poorly controlled. He warned that the practice is steadily degrading the environment and placing the county on a dangerous path.
Wambua faulted what he termed powerful cartels that have taken over sand harvesting in the area, accusing them of ignoring the law and prioritising profits over the wellbeing of local communities.
He said the situation has reached a critical point and requires firm action from county leadership.
“The blatant scooping and subsequent sale of sand from seasonal rivers in Kitui county by a cartel of extremely proud and selfish individuals masquerading as business people have crossed the red line. The insatiable greed for primitive accumulation of the wealthy at the expense of hundreds of thousands of people in our county is the loudest call to action to our leadership of the county and our country.”
He said the continued removal of sand without control is accelerating land degradation and pushing Kitui towards desert conditions at an alarming pace. According to the senator, the destruction of riverbeds threatens water sources and livelihoods that depend on seasonal rivers.
Wambua urged the county executive to move swiftly and enforce legislation already passed by the county assembly to regulate sand harvesting. He said the law provides a clear framework that should be used to restore order in the sector and protect the environment.
“There is a law that has been passed by the county assembly. This is the place to start by implementing the law to make sure that the sector is well-regulated. The law was put in place to stop the destruction of our riverbeds and do proper sand harvesting.”
The concerns raised by the senator come against the backdrop of earlier findings by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which in 2023 pointed fingers at several senior Kitui county government officials for allegedly supporting illegal sand harvesting activities. The commission said the actions were contributing to widespread environmental damage.
The issue has also drawn attention beyond Kitui. In neighbouring Makueni County, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has taken a firm position against illegal sand traders, warning that his administration will not relax enforcement of existing rules governing the sand sector.
“My administration will not back down in 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,” Mutula said while addressing staff of the Makueni Sand Conservation and Utilisation Authority earlier this month.
The governor added that uncontrolled sand harvesting strips communities of dignity and increases the risk of water shortages, vowing to protect both residents and the environment from further harm.
The dispute over sand harvesting in Kitui has previously reached the courts. Residents from the Mwingi area once sued Aden Duale when he was serving as Cabinet Secretary in charge of the environment, alongside several government agencies, accusing them of failing to stop sand harvesting that had caused extensive environmental destruction.
