By Joyce Tanui, DevReporter, Uasin Gishu County
Adequate, secure and stable livelihoods have become a major concern for both rural and urban dwellers. Due to high unemployment rates and adverse climate change, economic hardships and poor agricultural yields persists in these areas. This situation has compelled many people to device different survival ways to provide for their families.
Emkoin Village
In Uasin-Gishu County, Emkoin Village, which is on the outskirts of Eldoret town, a number of families have embarked on stone harvesting as the source of their livelihood. This practice has come with both positive and negative effects. For instance, Violet Nasimiyu Wekesa, who bought land in the area a few years ago when its values was close to worthless, decided to harvest stones and sell them. Nasimiyu narrated that by trading in stones and stone products, she was able to provide and manage her family needs.
But because of the prolonged mining, areas are left with open pits that lead to mosquito breeding, as well as possible occurrence of landslides. It thus calls for National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to properly license the people owning mines to mitigate environmental degradation in the area.
Government Support
I spoke to Leah Keter, a village elder in Emkoin Village, who had the following to say: “I fully support small-scale quarrying, since it has reduced poverty levels in this village. Families can now have food on their tables and somehow afford their children quality education. But my concern is the open-pit mines left”.
She added that “on rainy seasons, pits are filled with rainy water which then leak, posing risks to the community, livestock farming and other production processes at large. “As the government, we will ensure that those practicing quarrying are licensed by NEMA”. She further states that checks and balances on mining, practices and regulations should be adhered to.
In the neighbouring county of Bungoma, in the remote village of Kapsokwony, the county government has made sure that the locals cover all open pits left after excavation of stones. The pits are covered using soil, which then make the sites suitable for agriculture, further supporting livelihoods in the area. The county government has also made sure that each miner is recognised and provided with permits.
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http://bungoma.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FINAL-ENVIRONEMENT-POLICY-2020.pdf
