Change law to curb vandalism, scrap metal agency urges

The Scrap Metal Council wants the Scrap Metal Act of 2015 amended to tame runaway vandalism in the country.

A meeting between the Scrap Metal Council and the National Assembly Committee on Trade discussed the challenges surrounding the operationalisation of the Act.

Council chairman Francis Mugo revealed that the council faces staffing challenges, hindering its ability to carry out routine inspections and work effectively with other agencies.

According to Mugo, the scrap metal act has many gaps which “must be addressed if the country is to harness the full potential of the Sh18 billion sector”.

“For example, it is difficult for the council to vet scrap metal dealers as you cannot tell who is genuine,” Mugo told the MPs.

Committee chair James Gakuya overruled the proposal by the Council to curtail export of scrap metals.
“Let us protect local dealers but let us allow them to give suppliers enough such that there will be no appetite for outside markets,” Gakuya said.