Residents in Tana River count losses from scrap metal theft

The unregulated business of scrap metal dealerships in Tana River County is swiftly becoming a nuisance to the residents.

New dealers troop in every day to invest in one of the fastest-growing ventures.

Residents are losing property worth tens of millions of shillings linked to scrap metal theft, while dealers profit millions of shillings. Records at the tax office show that more than 2,000 tonnes are transported each month.

Residents are losing metallic doors, windows, iron sheets, and other valuable properties from their construction sites to scrap metal dealers.

Yaro Mikaya returned home to inspect his house which was still under construction and nearing completion in Hola Town.

A day earlier he had visited the site and saw how the site manager had done a good job and was to be briefed about the progress the following day.

"So we went to the site and were shocked to find that the windows were missing, I even thought it was a prank on me only for the 'fundi' to tell me that was not a joke," he said.

Following a short period spent deciding what to do next, they informed the locals, who suggested that he begin his search with scrap metal dealers they considered the most infamous in the community. Teams with information were dispersed all over as Mikaya headed to the police.

"The search was not on just my windows, but anything that looked valuable to just throw away, we would bring it to the attention of the police," he said.

A thorough search of the scrap metal collection centres did not yield anything suspicious, but four kilometres from the town in Malindi Ya Ngwena village, a group found a store with several metals, with the windows included.

Nobody was in the vicinity to be accountable, and neither did anyone show up to own the structure and the items.

"The residents in that village told us the structure belongs to a certain dealer in town and they usually see him there packing items into a truck, but when we asked him, he disowned it," he said.

Mwanahamisi Ade is unhappy after losing all of her steel window frames and aluminium doors just as the construction of her house is about to be completed.

"Those things had just been fixed three days ago, I only found the window frame to the toilet at a scrap metal dealer shop but it had been cut to pieces but I was sure it was my window," she said.

Despite reporting the incident to the police, she received no assistance. She chose to abandon the pursuit and decided to purchase new products and install security equipment.

Peter Ochieng is also a victim of a dealer who was determined to get away with his cement mixer stolen from a construction site.

"I went to all dealer shops in search of that mixer in vain, I reported the matter to the police, they did not take any action but I was certain that the dealers were responsible for my loss," he said.

Ochieng took with him some men and mounted a physical roadblock at dawn in wait for the truck that usually ferries the scrap metal out of the county.

At exactly 5 a.m., they stopped the truck, he was sure that his cement mixer was in the truck and was determined to get it.

"If one would look at the heap from the top, he would give up, but I hired people to help me remove one metal after another, if I was not going to find the mixer, I would load the truck and pay the dealer but I was so sure about this," he said.

After four hours of unloading exercise and intimidation from the dealer, backed by the police, he found the cement mixer buried at the bottom of the truck with a heap of small metals.

Business owners are also crying foul, as their signposts and metal banners go missing every morning.

A scrap metals shop was found with the stolen property during an operation mounted by DCI Officers in Hola, Tana River County. Photo: Farhiya Hussein

Government infrastructure has also not been spared. Two months ago, two men were arrested at night while cutting down the security light posts on the highway to the governor's residence.

The men had successfully fallen one post and were about to cut another.

Wells developed by donors have also been vandalised, while mechanics can't explain how they are losing valuable things from broken vehicles in the garage at night.

Tana River Chairperson Chamber of Commerce Hassan Barisa notes that a business that thrives in the vandalism of infrastructure and properties ought to face legal punishment, however, he blames the police for protecting the dealers who he says are visitors to the county.

"This is madness, all these dealers cannot justify their businesses and gains, Hola is a small town, garages are countable, we don't have metals just floating around, it should be banned," he said.

Tana River County Enforcement Commissioner General Omar Dhadho notes that scrap metal dealing in the county is a menace that the administration is currently dealing with.

He reveals that properties worth millions have been lost and government infrastructure destroyed to sustain the scrap metal business.

"The worst incident was the stealing of metallic joints for the Governor's dais forcing the County Government to incur huge expenses to acquire another," he said.

Other cases reported include the theft of a new digger worth half a million at the Department of Agriculture Offices and the vandalism of unserviceable motor vehicles for sale as scrap metal.

The dealers grind and deface the metals to avoid being recognised by the owners.

A kilogramme of scrap steel sells for Sh50, while copper costs Sh100 and iron for Sh60.

A gate taken from a government residential property earlier this week was found in a dealer's warehouse after law enforcement officials, assisted by witnesses, tracked it down to a scrap-selling business.

"We have arrested more than ten people and we are investigating other dealers, we want them to tell us the source of their scrap metals that they transport in tonnes as per our records, this county does not have that amount of scrap metals," said Omar.

Further, he says the administration has convened a stakeholder meeting to deliberate on the matter and suggest a way forward.

"This includes a proposal we are forwarding to cancel licenses issued to the scrap metal dealers, their business does not guarantee the safety of our property," he said.

In Hola, almost all the metal manhole lids have been stolen exposing residents to raw sewage.

Metalic main gates and sign boards have been stolen from government facilities exposing the facilities to security breaches.