Nairobi: Kisumu County Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong'o has raised alarm over worsening environmental degradation in the area, citing rampant sand and murram harvesting along roads and rivers. The reckless extraction of natural resources, particularly in areas like Kajulu, Nyakach, and Miwani, he said, was causing severe ecological damage.
According to Kenya News Agency, Prof. Nyong'o emphasized that such activities have led to land degradation, destruction of rural access roads, and disruption of fish breeding grounds. Other consequences, he said, include noise pollution, school dropouts, and destruction of both private and public property.
Addressing the media in his office, Nyong'o said the county government has put measures in place to enforce environmental laws, including the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (1999, revised 2015), the Mining Act (2016), and the Kisumu County Sand, Murram, and Minerals Harvesting Guidelines (2021), to reverse the trend. Moving forward, violators will face hefty fines, be required to restore damaged land, and also face legal action.
'As you may be aware, Kisumu County is also endowed with various minerals spread across our eight sub-counties. These natural resources form an important livelihood base for a significant proportion of the Kisumu population, and so we need to harness them sustainably with the utmost care, while at the same time conserving the environment,' he said.
To make the campaign a success, the county government, he said, will work closely with the State Department of Mining on matters of artisanal mining to ensure it operates optimally but guided by the law. 'We will enhance governance and formalization efforts through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to help minimize the environmental impacts of mining and promote sustainability,' he said.