A 32-year-old sand harvester died after a collapse at Kelelwet quarry in Barut, Nakuru, a site residents say should have remained closed under a 2014 Nema suspension of quarrying activity.
Sammy Oyoro was working in the over 60-foot-deep quarry when a heap of sand gave way and buried him. Zack Nkoyo, a driver who was waiting for his lorry to be loaded, said he had arrived at about 7am shortly before the accident.
Nkoyo said Oyoro moved to a spot where he had piled sand, after which he heard a loud bang and saw dust rise from the pit. He said he could not see the man once the dust settled.
He raised the alarm and other workers rushed in to dig through the sand. Nkoyo said they found Oyoro alive but unconscious.
The victim was taken to a nearby dispensary, but attempts to revive him failed. Area Chief Joseph Oyawa confirmed the death and said the body had been moved to Nakuru County mortuary.
Residents said the quarry has remained dangerous for years. Mary Tinga, an elder, said people are buried alive there almost every year. She said another youth in his early 20s died in a similar incident towards the end of last year, adding that many young people in the area have no other source of income.
In 2014, the National Environmental Management Authority suspended all activity in licensed and unlicensed sand quarries because of environmental degradation. Residents later resumed operations, though the circumstances were not clear.
Oyawa said quarry owners have been showing Nema permits. He said the sites were shut for only a few days before work restarted, and that he could not force another closure after being shown the documents.
Nema county director Antony Saisi said he was consulting remaining officials to establish whether the ban was still in force or had been lifted. He said he was not aware of the quarry operations and had recently been deployed to the county.
Quarry oversight questioned ¶
Changes at Nema's county office after the Solai dam tragedy appear to have affected enforcement, with several officials suspended and replaced. That has left uncertainty over the status of the quarry ban and who is responsible for policing the sites.
The quarry continued to draw workers even after the fatal collapse, underscoring the pressure on jobless youths who depend on sand harvesting for income despite the risks.
