The Kitui County Security Committee has banned sand harvesting near river bridges, warning that the practice weakens bridge foundations and could cause the infrastructure to collapse, especially during heavy rains and flooding.

Kitui County Commissioner Erastus Mbui said the Kwa Masesi Bridge across River Tiva along the Kitui-Machakos road was among bridges at risk of collapse because of uncontrolled sand harvesting.

He warned that the collapse of the bridge could disrupt transport between Kitui and Machakos counties and affect the movement of people and goods, potentially slowing down business activities.

Mbui, who is also the chairman of the County Security Committee, spoke on Friday when he led members of the committee in inspecting bridges along the road. He was accompanied by officials from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Kitui County Government.

The commissioner cautioned residents involved in sand harvesting to comply with environmental regulations and avoid activities that undermine river ecosystems, damage water reservoirs or threaten road infrastructure.

“We appreciate the availability of sand as a natural resource that is worthy to benefit the local residents along the rivers, but the rivers need to be protected as they are also major sources of water for domestic use and provide water for small-scale irrigation farming along the rivers,” Mbui said.

He said the government recognised the economic importance of sand to local communities but urged residents to harvest the resource responsibly and away from bridge structures.

KeNHA Lower Eastern Region Inspector Bashir Osman explained that the stability of the Tiva Bridge depends on its foundations and supporting columns, which carry the weight of the structure and vehicles crossing it.

He warned that removing sand around the bridge exposes the foundations and weakens the supporting structures.

“If the column footing is much exposed from the ground due to human activities such as sand scooping, it weakens and loses the original stability,” Osman said.

He explained that running water could subsequently wash away the remaining soil and other material protecting the bridge foundations, leaving the supporting structures vulnerable to damage by heavy vehicles or strong currents during periods of heavy rainfall.

Osman advised residents to avoid harvesting sand close to the bridge and said the activity should not be undertaken within approximately one kilometre on either side of the structure.

He said KeNHA would backfill exposed foundations and footings and undertake protection works to strengthen the bridge before the onset of the rains. The agency would also repair damaged sections of the bridge’s supporting structures.

Mbui also raised concern over the recurring vandalism and theft of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) transformers across the county.

He warned that people involved in the theft and vandalism of transformers would face legal action once identified and prosecuted.

The commissioner commended security officers for recovering transformers suspected to have been stolen recently from Kisasi and Katulani areas.

He urged residents to work closely with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities and individuals in their neighbourhoods.

Mbui said cooperation between residents and security officers would help curb illegal sand harvesting as well as the vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure.

Kitui County Executive Committee Member for Energy, Environment, Forestry, Natural and Mineral Resources Richard John Mwendandu said the county government would introduce measures to regulate sand harvesting along rivers.

Mwendandu said the measures would seek to protect bridges, roads and other infrastructure from damage while ensuring that communities could benefit from natural resources without destroying the environment.

He said the county government would intensify environmental awareness campaigns and support communities living along the rivers to embrace irrigated agriculture and other income-generating activities.

Mwendandu said supporting alternative livelihoods would reduce dependence on sand harvesting while improving household incomes and protecting water sources.

The county official urged residents to take part in conservation efforts and report activities that threaten rivers and other natural resources.

by Patrick Musyoka