Residents of Munyu in Thika East Sub-County have raised alarm over the danger posed by abandoned, uncovered quarries in the area after a young student drowned.
The deceased, a high school graduate who was awaiting admission to medical school, drowned last week on Friday while swimming with friends in one of the abandoned quarries after he reportedly got trapped in the deep waters.
Efforts by residents to rescue him were unsuccessful, forcing them to seek the help of divers, who later retrieved his body. The remains were moved to Thika Mortuary pending a postmortem examination.
The incident sparked renewed calls for urgent action to address safety concerns posed by abandoned quarry sites, with residents accusing authorities of failing to enforce safety regulations.
Speaking during the protest, community leaders David Gakuyo Ngari and Jane Muthoni blamed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for what they termed as inadequate enforcement of environmental and safety standards.
“This is not an isolated incident. We have lost many people in these quarries over the years, while others have suffered serious injuries. These pits have become death traps,” said Ngari.
Residents called on quarry owners to take responsibility by fencing off dangerous sites and rehabilitating areas where mining activities have ended.
They also raised concerns that some abandoned quarries have become hiding grounds for hyenas, which they claim have been terrorising residents, especially at night.
The community further questioned why exhausted quarry sites remain open, despite claims that operators are required to provide restoration funds before receiving licenses.
“If such funds are collected, residents deserve to know why these dangerous pits remain unattended years after quarrying activities stopped,” said Muthoni.
The residents threatened to move to court if NEMA failed to compel quarry operators to secure and restore the abandoned sites.
“We demand immediate fencing of all active and abandoned quarries, rehabilitation of exhausted sites and increased monitoring by environmental authorities to prevent further loss of lives,” said Erastus Mwaniki, another resident.
By Muoki Charles
