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Government bans Mandera quarry activities amid Al-Shabaab threats

Tawakal Quarry site in Mandera East, where all quarry activities have been shut down. (Adan Mohammed)

By Adan Mohamed | Tuesday, April 9, 2024

The workers had been conducting mining activities despite an earlier order, prompting the government to prohibit all quarry activities.

The government has ordered the immediate shut down of all quarry activities in Mandera, leaving hundreds of quarry workers without a source of income.

This directive comes amidst heightened security concerns, with intelligence reports suggesting the presence of Al-Shabaab insurgents targeting quarry workers.

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The quarries were closed in 2020, but the workers had returned to the sites without the government's approval.

John Kilonzo, the chairman of quarry workers in Mandera East, expressed the hardship faced by his team since the closure.

"It's been over a year since the government closed down the quarry sites, and life has become unbearable," he stated.

The closure affects major sites like Tawakal Quarry, where over 20 people rely on employment for their livelihood.

The workers had been conducting mining activities despite an earlier order, prompting the government to prohibit all quarry activities.

Joseph Aura, a quarry worker since 2008, appealed to the government to reconsider the directive.

"I am unable to feed my family as the sole breadwinner. I want the government to allow us to resume work as soon as possible," he pleaded.

Mohamed Abdi, owner of the Tawakal site quarry, urged the government to prioritise the safety of its citizens. "If there is a problem, it's the government's duty to protect its citizens," he emphasised.

Mandera County Commissioner Henry Ochako emphasised the closure, citing intelligence reports indicating the vulnerability of quarry workers to Al-Shabaab attacks.

"We have intelligence reports on Al-Shabaab insurgents targeting quarry workers, which is why we have shut down all activities to prevent casualties," Commissioner Ochako explained.

He warned that anyone violating the directive would be held accountable for any casualties in the quarries.

The government has promised to monitor the situation closely and provide further guidance on when quarry activities can safely resume.

In 2014, some 36 quarry workers were killed in Koromey mines, forcing the government to shut down the quarries at that time.