Governor suspends all excavation activities in the county following the tragic death of children in an abandoned site at Kanyakwar.

Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has cracked the whip on unregulated excavation, ordering an immediate suspension of all quarrying activities across the county. The drastic directive comes in the wake of a heart-wrenching tragedy in Kanyakwar, where four siblings drowned while swimming in an abandoned, water-filled quarry. The incident has sparked outrage and sorrow, exposing the lethal dangers posed by open excavation sites that dot the region’s landscape.

"No More Deaths"

In a statement laden with grief and resolve, Governor Nyong’o declared that the safety of residents must supersede commercial interests. "We cannot watch as our children die in these death traps," he asserted. The ban extends to all forms of material harvesting, including murram and sand, effectively bringing the county’s construction supply chain to a temporary halt. The Governor has tasked county enforcement officers to ensure total compliance, warning that anyone found defying the order will face the full force of the law.

• The Kanyakwar Tragedy: The four siblings, whose names have been withheld to protect the family's privacy, were reportedly playing near the abandoned site when they decided to swim. The open pit, filled with rainwater, proved too deep and treacherous. Their bodies were retrieved hours later, leaving a community in shock.
• A Regulatory Black Hole: The incident highlights a systemic failure in rehabilitating exhausted quarries. Environmental laws require miners to refill or fence off sites after use, but enforcement has been lax, leaving dangerous pits that turn into swimming pools for unsuspecting children during the rainy season.

The Path Forward

Prof. Nyong’o has promised a comprehensive audit of all quarry sites in Kisumu. The suspension will remain in place until a safety framework is established and all open pits are secured. For the grieving family in Kanyakwar, the Governor's action comes too late to save their children, but it stands as a necessary intervention to prevent another household from enduring such a devastating loss.

This crackdown signals a new era of accountability in Kisumu’s mining sector. The days of digging and leaving are over; now, the priority is to ensure that the earth yields its resources without claiming its children.