The national and county governments have been hit hard by the ban on mining activities at Jaribuni quarries in Kauma Sub County, Kilifi County.
Kilifi County Commissioner Joseph Biwott said the most affected projects included the construction of the Mombasa- Malindi highway, Mtwapa Bridge, the affordable housing projects and construction of grade nine classrooms among others in the region.
In a meeting with mining stakeholders and the Secretary for mining at his office in Kilifi town on Friday, he added that his team had discovered that 90 percent of construction raw materials in Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Mombasa and Kwale counties come from Jaribuni area and the ban had led to stalled projects and high cost of construction materials.
The ban was enforced by Mining, Fisheries, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho three weeks ago after residents barricaded roads leading to the quarry sites over air, and noise pollution from the mining and transportation activities.
Angered by the prolonged effects of the problem, the irate residents blocked and barricaded the two main roads leading to the quarry and mining sites which included the nine kilometer Dzitsoni-Jaribuni and Majajani-Jaribuni roads demanding action from government.
Biwott met the investors and other stakeholders including the Malindi Economic Development Council, The Kilifi County Diary and Pwani Professionals Forum who complained to him that the ban had threatened to cripple the sector’s economy.
The investors through their representative Maxwel Odoyo said one mining company had committed to tarmac 1 kilometre of the road and the others said they were ready to murram a kilometre each of the Dzitsoni Jaribuni road
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) will supervise the work which is expected to commence on Monday.
However, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro has insisted that the ban will remain in place until all issues raised by residents are addressed.
He added that his administration will also target other quarries in Tezo area to bring an end to pollution in the county which he said had brought untold suffering to residents including life threatening health conditions.
