The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has written to the Murang’a county security committee to suspend operations of stone, sand and clay quarries, even as the ongoing heavy rains put them at the risk of collapsing.
In a letter written by the county NEMA director Sarah Waruo, chiefs, their assistants and members of Nyumba Kumi have been directed to inspect quarries at their areas of jurisdiction and consider suspending operations so as to save lives of artisanal miners working there.
Murang’a county has many quarries in different sub counties and in the recent past the region has been receiving heavy downpour.
In the second week of April, one quarry at Maragi area collapsed injuring two miners who were admitted at Murang’a level 5 hospital for several weeks.
Some parts of the county have also witnessed mudslides, which have blocked sections of local roads and destroyed some farms.
Waruo noted that due to the wet conditions, some quarries are at the risk of collapsing, thus the need to suspend their operations until the rains subside.
“Murang’a county has several quarries distributed in all the sub counties. The quarries are excavated either mechanically or manually by artisanal miners. With the current heavy rainfall there is the likelihood of quarries collapsing due to wet conditions.
This therefore is to request the county security committee to be on the lookout for any of the quarry at risk of collapsing and the same should be closed immediately to avoid the loss of lives in the event of a collapse,” read part of the letter.
At the same time, Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) Friday ordered for the closure of a section of Murang’a-Kiriani road.
This was occasioned by a mudslide, which has hit road at Gaturi ward leaving motorists exposed to dangerous ditches in parts of the area.
More than 10 sections of the road have also been partly blocked by debris and boulders that have been dumped on the road as heavy rains continue pounding the area.
The authority on its social platforms ordered closure of sections between Murang’a post office and Mugeka after the collapse of a road embankment.
It urged motorists to use alternative routes to their destinations as the Central Region KeNHA Engineer Francis Kimata said the affected sections of the road will be repaired.
“The Murang’a – Kiria ini road is critical and was recently allocated to KeNHA from Kerra,” said Kimata urging motorists to divert to St Mary- Gitugi – Kiriaini and Gakonya- Mukurwe ini roads to access parts of Kiharu, Mathioya and Othaya.
In the past two weeks, residents served by the road had raised concerns after mudslide incidents, especially near the Mathioya river bridge.
By Bernard Munyao
