By Morris Githenya in Laikipia
Four counties in Central Kenya are formulating a regulatory framework that will guide mining and quarrying activities.The policy formulated at the counties of Laikipia, Nyeri, Murang’a and Nyandarua seeks to strengthen the institutional framework that would help address governance and operational issues.
Through the support of The Nature Conservancy,Nairobi Water Fund, the four are working on guiding the mining activities, as well as proposing the effective interventions.
The policy demands, the counties mobilise the stakeholders on stormwater management, construction of dams to harvest flood water, collection of data on river water levels.
Murang’a assembly environmental Committee Chairperson Ms Diana Muthoni Kagiri says the formulation of the policy is geared towards ensuring the mining and quarrying activities do not destroy the environment.
Muthoni says in Murang’a the policy will have more benefits designed to ensure generational equity and resource use sustainability.
The community will be empowered on better ways of harvesting water for irrigation and protection of drainage channels.”The implementation of the conservation measures has no financial implication on the national treasury. Implementation will be mainstreamed in normal departmental operations,” said Muthoni.
More concern is divulged on the control of damage caused by storm water diverted from the roads into farmlands, which has been the cause of protracted conflict between landowners and roads authority.
In Murang’a county, key areas of collaboration will be conservation of Maragua river catchment, construction of water pans,and soil conservation.
Other intervention programmes are carbon sink promotion, targeting agroforestry through planting of avocado seedlings. Muthoni further explains that in Gaturi ward there are fertile spots with iron ore, a mixture of clay for making ceramics and tiles that have been used for decades by the local residents.
“The parts in Nginda and Munyutha there is a special clay used in pottery among other needs by the locals who have been utilising the natural resource for their use,” said Muthoni when fielding questions.
The three counties want access to land for commercial mining and quarry activities, faced with inadequate geological data and information.
Muthoni adds that the policy will contribute to higher standards of life for all stakeholders in Murang’a county through provision of a legal framework to conform to the mining and quarry needs.
Mines and quarry activities, the policy states are found within the forest land, with the stakeholders focus on transparent and accountable mining quarrying licenses procedures.
Peter Gathirimu a resident of Githabai village in Nyandarua says the formulation of the policy is a major milestone as the locals will explore the utilisation of the natural resource.
The locals, he said, have much knowledge on the local resource thus the guidance will help them exploit them effectively.
” Central region being a food basket is poised to benefit as the road contractors will be required to carefully divert the storm waters from the roads into neighbouring farms,” said Gathirimu.