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Residents of Nkurunka village, Kajiado East, claim illegal deep mining activities in the area have led to the closure of major public roads and interfered with electricity connection. The residents say the activities have caused untold environmental degradation in the area.

Despite numerous attempts by residents to seek help from the Ministry of Environment and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), over the years, the blasting and quarrying menace have continued to cause suffering to many.

Public roads in the area are impassable due to the extensive unregulated heavy blasting. Residents are now forced to walk along the risky mines with motorists totally cut off.

Several of the dust mines have been turned to risky mosquito breeding grounds adversely affecting the residents’ health.

Electricity poles have been left loosely hanging, exposing those connected to the grid to danger with some claiming to have lost electronics due power interruptions.

Locals claim an individual who owns an adjacent land has occasioned the degradation, which has shut down transport in the area.

Bribing officers

They further alleged the said individual has been bribing certain government officers to be allowed to continue with his illegal mining activities.

According to correspondents seen by the People Daily, the local community has been raising concerns with relevant bodies dating since 2020 but no action has been taken.

“We started raising alarm when the blasting encroached on the public road but our efforts were in vain. The individuals continued mining until the road has not been closed,” said Stephen Kisemei, Sholinke MCA who is among those affected.

In one of the letters, the ministry of environment acknowledged that the quarrying has destroyed public roads.

 NEMA in its reply to complaints from the community admits that quarrying is illegal and risky. However, mining is still active due to what the locals term as massive corruption by the officers who frequent the area to collect bribes.

“The relevant bodies are aware but have ignored our plight,”  said Rigan Topoika , a resident.

The residents now want the director of Criminal Investigations to investigate the conduct of NEMA officials involved.

They also appealed to the Minister of Lands Soipan Tuya to intervene and address issue.