The County government of Homa Bay has closed all quarries and sand harvesting activities in the devolved unit to avert injuries and deaths during the ongoing rainy season.
According to Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan, the soil in most of the county was loose and prone to landslides.
He revealed that 4860 families have been affected by floods in the county so far, and 1283 have been displaced.
The County Commissioner also pointed out that Rachuonyo North Sub-county is the worst affected by floods and is where massive sand mining occurs.
Additionally, he said the worst-affected villages are Osodo and Chwowe, where large tracts of land have been submerged.
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Lilan lamented that sand harvesters had left gaping craters and destroyed the road infrastructure in the sub-county.
“Sand harvesting is a serious problem affecting our land, and it also contributes to floods affecting us,” said Willis Omulo, an environmental conservation activist in the area.
Nevertheless, he warned against anybody who undertakes mining in the area today at Osodo Primary School.
“We have issued a stop order against any mining activities in this area. Mining can cause loss of lives, injuries, and destruction of property during the ongoing bad weather.”
He argued that the order was arrived at after a meeting with all the relevant government agencies in the county.
“Our security agencies are going to be firm in ensuring the order is implemented. We want our people to be safe,” he said.
