Kenya’s river systems are facing an existential threat from rampant, largely unregulated sand harvesting operations that are devastating aquatic ecosystems and jeopardizing water security nationwide. The insatiable demand for construction material, driven by Kenya’s booming building sector and major infrastructure projects, has created a lucrative black market for sand that is systematically destroying riverbeds across the country. From the mighty Tana River to the seasonal streams in Kajiado, the relentless extraction is causing irreversible damage to river morphology, with devastating consequences for both the environment and the communities that depend on these water sources for their survival and livelihoods.
The environmental impact of this uncontrolled harvesting manifests in multiple destructive ways. The most visible damage comes from the physical alteration of river channels, where excessive sand removal deepens and widens riverbeds, leading to lowered water tables that render community wells useless and destroy agricultural land through changed water flows. The practice also increases turbidity, choking aquatic life and destroying breeding grounds for fish, while the removal of natural sediment leads to increased downstream erosion that undermines bridge foundations and riverside infrastructure. In areas of intensive harvesting like the Athi River basin, residents report entire sections of riverbank collapsing into the water, taking with them crops, trees, and sometimes even homes, while the altered water flow patterns have made seasonal flooding more unpredictable and destructive.
Addressing this crisis requires immediate, coordinated action from both government authorities and the construction industry. Environmental organizations are urging the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to implement stronger enforcement mechanisms, including satellite monitoring of harvesting sites and stricter penalties for illegal operations. Simultaneously, there is growing recognition that Kenya must develop sustainable alternatives to river sand, such as promoting the use of manufactured sand from crushed rock, investing in recycling construction waste, and exploring regulated marine sand harvesting. The future of Kenya’s rivers—and the millions who depend on them—depends on transitioning from this destructive, unregulated extraction to a managed, sustainable approach that balances development needs with environmental preservation.