The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has raised concern over illegal sand harvesting and charcoal burning within the lower eastern counties of Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Kajiado.
The council lamented that continued charcoal burning and sand harvesting are major threats to livelihoods in the lower eastern region, as they have gradually had negative impacts, including deforestation leading to drying of water sources.
Speaking in Kitui, the lower eastern region NCCK chairman Major Leonard Kasyoka called upon Members of respective County Assemblies to swiftly enact laws that would help regulate both sand harvesting and charcoal burning across the four counties. "Without a proper law in place, even the local security authorities have nothing to enforce, thus giving way to the malpractice," Kasyoka said, adding that the church is committed to ensuring local communities protect the natural environment.
The lower eastern region NCCK chairman appreciated Makueni County government for being the only county amongst the four counties in the lower eastern region that has a working legislation on sand harvesting aimed at the protection of local rivers, which are mainly water sources for the area residents.
