Police on high alert as miners scramble for Lamu quarries

Police in Lamu are on high alert following a brewing conflict among stone quarry workers in Manda-Maweni.

There are more than 1,000 quarry workers in the village, who solely depend on the trade for their livelihoods.

The village, which was founded by quarry workers in the 1980s owing to its richness in building stones and blocks, has attracted workers from other regions, resulting in conflicts.

Local quarry workers have complained of theft of their equipment, with the non-local miners suspected to be the culprits.

Justus Mwaniki, a quarry worker, said since the establishment of Manda-Maweni quarries, there have never been cases of tools being stolen in the quarries as villagers have always lived communally.

He said for the longest times, the local quarry workers have been leaving their tools at the quarries.

“We’ve been here for more than 40 years and not a single quarry worker lost their tools. We embraced the Ujamaa ideology. We interact freely in the quarries. We never carry our tools home. We just leave them in the quarries for the next day’s work,” Mwaniki said.

However in recent times, many quarry workers have reported losing their tools, mostly hammers, wedges, chisels and pangas.

“Considering that’s a new trend, we believe it’s being imported here by the new workers coming in from other parts of Kenya. It's not something we are going treat lightly,” Mwaniki said.

In recent years, quarry workers from as far as Majengo Mapya in Kwale, Likoni in Mombasa, Kaya Kauma, Mtondia and Tezo in Kilifi county, have relocated to Manda-Maweni village to try their luck in the venture.

They have urged security agencies to intervene and find ways to quell the brewing voices of discontent.

Lucy Adhiambo, a quarry worker, said apart from the theft of their tools, feuds have also been brewing between quarry workers and buyers.

 “There are so many unjust dealings in the quarry business. Sometimes buyers take building blocks or ballast from workers on credit and they refuse to pay up. We ask police to step in and quell this issue,” she said.

The miners are also worried about the loss of business, especially after machines for cutting coral stones were introduced at Manda-Maweni main quarry sites.

The stone miners, who have for years been doing their job manually, fear they might be pushed out of business.

“These newly introduced brick-cutting machines will contribute to loss of jobs. We need them to be minimised," Evans Okello said.

They also pleaded with the county and national governments to protect their quarries from land grabbers.

There have been concerns that some of the quarries have been grabbed and fenced off by private developers and tycoons.

Amu Division assistant county commissioner Bravin Akolo said he is aware of the land issues surrounding Manda-Maweni village.

He, however, said the alleged theft in quarries has not yet been reported to his office.

“I have received several complaints surrounding grabbing of quarries. I am not aware of the theft. I will hold a baraza at Manda-Maweni next week and I will touch on all issues,” Akolo said.