By Fred Waguda
Kisumu governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o has raised an alarm over what he termed as the increasing environmental degradation activities in the county.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, the second term county boss condemned unchecked sand and murram harvesting, which is wreaking havoc on roads and rivers in some parts of the Lakeside county.
He described the situation as an ‘environmental catastrophe,’ citing excessive exploitation of natural resources across Kisumu’s 8 sub-counties.
He warned that the destruction is endangering livelihoods and the ecosystem, with areas such as Kajulu, Kanyakwar, Nyakach and Usoma beach becoming major environmental hotspots due to unsustainable mining practices.
“The wanton destruction of our environment disregards existing legislative and administrative frameworks. We have noticed increasing encroachment on both private and public lands, including the gazetted Karateng’ forest,” the governor stated.
He outlined the dire consequences of illegal mining and harvesting, including land degradation, destruction of rural roads, noise pollution, school dropouts, teenage pregnancies and even deaths from drowning in quarry pits.
The situation, he added, is as a result of direct greed and lack of enforcement.
He said his administration is escalating enforcement efforts, ensuring that polluters face hefty fines and are compelled to restore damaged areas.
‘’Any person arrested will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” warned the former Kisumu Senator.
He further emphasized the need for adherence to key environmental laws such as Environmental Management and Coordination Act of 199, the mining Act of 2016, and the newly introduced Environmental Management and Coordination (Sand Harvesting) Regulations of 2024.
Additionally, he said the county government of Kisumu will enforce guidelines from the Kisumu County Sand, Murram and Mineral harvesting guidelines manual, 2021, and the Kisumu County Finance Act to regulate licensing and permit fees.
He called for the establishment of mining committees, proper environmental impact assessments, and strict adherence to sustainable resources utilization.
The county, he said, will work closely with the state department for mining and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), to formalize artisanal mining and eliminate illegal activities.
“As a county, we must conserve our environment because our lives depend on it. The greatest threat to earth is the belief that someone else will save it and not yourself.”
Going forward, the county will crack down on illegal mining operations, ensuring responsible and sustainable environmental practices for future generations.
