County suspends sand harvesting in Burat as loader groups row persists
River Ewaso Nyiro at Archers Post along Isiolo/Samburu border. Isiolo county government has suspended sand business in Burat following wrangling between two sand loaders groups and advised transporters to collect at Archers Post.
The Isiolo County Government has suspended sand harvesting in Burat indefinitely, following a row between two groups of loaders, one stationed in Isiolo town and another at the harvesting site.
Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo had on Monday, during a meeting with the wrangling groups, ordered that two Isiolo town loaders accompany sand transporters to Burat, three others would join them and share the Sh2,500 loading fee equally, a decision that caused discontent with the latter group.
On Tuesday, the town loaders barricaded a section of the Isiolo-Moyale highway protesting alleged harassment by the other group, while the Burat loaders blocked Isiolo-LMD-Oldonyiro road at KMC, following Monday's directive.
It took the intervention of the governor and the county security team for the town loaders to suspend the protests with the team’s quest to calm down the other group falling on deaf ears even as reports indicated that three lorries were stoned during the Burat demonstrations.
“We have closed sand collection from Burat indefinitely and advise transporters to pick sand from Archers Post. We have lifted cess for them,” Mr Guyo said.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said the transporters will be offered security escort to and from the river.
“We will ruthlessly deal with those who disrupt the business,” Mr Omoding said, warning that those who stoned the vehicles will be arrested and prosecuted.
The groups of sand loaders have been wrangling over alleged unfair competition, with the Burat team warning the town group against accompanying lorries collecting sand from their area.
The town loaders insist as bona fide residents they have the right to work in any part of the county.
Loading groups
Representatives from several Burat sand loading groups last week demanded that town loaders register under their local groups so that they work harmoniously.
They complained that the town team was cashing in on both loading and unloading while their members only benefited from loading.
The groups have, through the Riparian Resource Management Authority, been collecting Sh500 from all lorries that have been collecting sand from their area. The money goes towards conservation.
The wrangling might see the price of sand shoot up.
