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To: Nakuru County Government
Stop illegal sand harvesting in Mai Mahiu Kenya
Illegal sand harvesting is a big problem in the Mai Mahiu area. It is being done by expanding gullies continually eroding and eating up land next to them. The gullies are becoming larger and larger, causing weaker ground that, during flash floods, the land is eroded at an alarming rate.
The local area residents are trying their best to combat the growth of these gullies by preventing further digging. Plus, the many trucks coming in to take the cheap sand are destroying roads that the local area residents have been using for generations, leaving a dusty mess.
The local area government can crack down on these illegal sand brokers and ensure no sand harvesting is being carried out.
Sand buyers and lorries are to be barred from buying illegal sand from this area, and the whole place is to be protected away from sand harvesters.
There are adequately designated sand mines around the area that have no adverse effect on the large gully and the local area residents.
Suppose these illegal sand harvesters are allowed to continue their operations. In that case, the area is at risk of being filled with ever-widening gullies that eventually become seasonal rivers that eat up residents' land.
Why is this important?
- The Mai Mahiu area is made of loose sand, and some fault lines exist.
If the problem isn't solved, the sand will keep eroding, affecting a few fault lines that end up causing more gullies.
This is affecting people's land and eating the ground away. Also, the lorries used to harvest the sand are destroying the roads in the area, causing dust to affect vulnerable people living there, such as children and older people.