Kitui Senator Kiio Wambua has declared a decisive and uncompromising war on illegal sand harvesting cartels operating across Kitui County, warning that the destructive practice poses a grave threat to the environment, livelihoods, and the future of local communities.
In a strongly worded statement, the Senator said unregulated sand harvesting has devastated riverbeds, worsened water scarcity, destroyed roads, and exposed residents to poverty and exploitation by well-connected cartels that reap millions while leaving communities with nothing.
“These cartels must be stopped before they stop all of us,” Senator Wambua said, adding that the continued plunder of Kitui’s natural resources is an attack on both present and future generations.
He pledged to work closely with national government agencies, county authorities, security organs, and local communities to dismantle the networks behind the illegal trade. The Senator also called for strict enforcement of environmental laws, prosecution of perpetrators regardless of status, and the development of sustainable alternatives that benefit residents.
Senator Wambua urged residents to remain vigilant and report illegal activities, emphasizing that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility.
“This is not a political fight; it is a fight for survival,” he said. “Kitui’s resources must benefit its people—not criminal cartels.”
The declaration comes amid growing public outrage over environmental degradation in Kitui’s dry riverbeds, with leaders and residents increasingly demanding urgent action to safeguard the county’s fragile ecosystem.
