Mining Permanent Secretary Elijah Mwangi announced that the government plans to rehabilitate all abandoned quarries in the county. Mwangi stated that these abandoned quarries have become dangerous for the public, prompting the need for their rehabilitation and repurposing.
During a visit to Murang’a County, Mwangi explained that ministry officials would tour all mining sites to identify those posing potential risks. He noted that many miners leave quarries open, which exposes nearby residents to hazards such as falling into the pits, and sometimes these quarries become locations for criminal activities.
His comments follow the discovery of bodies dumped in a quarry, which is currently used as a dumpsite, in the Kware area of Nairobi.
“We will be collecting all the details for the abandoned quarries to know what was being mined there and for how long so that we can know the necessary action to take,” said the PS.
Mwangi also highlighted the problem of children falling into abandoned quarries, emphasizing the need for fencing to prevent such incidents.
“We can convert some of these quarries into dams, fish ponds, or refill them and plant trees for conservation purposes,” he suggested.
Additionally, Mwangi mentioned that the ministry plans to enforce new regulations requiring all miners to obtain operating licenses. This licensing will
