Kenya to regulate scrap metal industry

Sunday, 20 January 2013 20:49 Humphrey Liloba

NAIROBI - Kenya inched closer to passing a law to streamline the lethargic scrap metal industry that has threatened to collapse most infrastructure projects in the country.
Initially operating in an unregulated environment,  scrap metal dealers have time and again been accused of being behind the vandalism that rocked key installations such as electricity and telephone cables, roadside lamp posts, guard rails on bridges among others.
The Ministry of Industrialization is however fine tuning the Scrap Metal Draft Bill 2012 which is expected to control and regulate dealing in scrap metals. This will among other things force dealers to reveal the source of their scrap metal.
Last week, the ministry welcomed the public to give their views to the suggested law even as the Draft Bill enters its final stages towards legislation.
Kenya seriously needs this law especially in the wake of escalating cases of fibre optic cable vandalism which has time and again cut sections of the population from telecommunication services. Mobile service providers are the most affected and have petitioned the government to classify cable vandalism as an economic crime that carries a maximum ten years imprisonment to deter the vandals.

A yard full of scrap from vehichles. A section of Kenyans has petitioned tthe president to ban scrap metal trade

Also affected by the vandalism are railway tracks and advertising companies whose billboards have fallen prey to the vandals. The newly constructed and commissioned Thika Superhighway has not been spared either.
This Bill is a timely legislation as it comes in the wake of increased cases of cable and metal vandalism. It is our hope that the public will participate in this very important piece of legislation. We want to make scrap metal dealers responsible in their trade,” said Industrialization Minister Henry Kosgey.
A section of the Kenyan population had even called on President Mwai Kibaki to put a total ban on scrap metal trade.
Last month, Roads minister Franklin Bett complained to the president that the vandals had descended on road signage posts thereby contributing to the escalating cases of road accidents in the country.
“We are optimistic that this Bill is a step in the right direction. When implemented, it will greatly enhance road safety,” said Bett while commenting on the Bill in Parliament.
Scrap metal dealing is a multimillion business in Kenya especially in the urban centre with collection points scattered everywhere in the estates.
Players in the industry have time and again opposed any government moves to regulate their trade prompting speculation that they are working in cahoots with cartels that are responsible for the wanton vandalism of key infrastructure installations.
An official of the Kenya Scrap Metal Dealers Association (KSMDA) Mr. Imran Sumra says this law will kill the industry and deprive many families of an honest living.
“Crooked police officers will use this law to extort and harass our members most of whom earn an honest living from scrap metal dealing. Why licensed business owners should be punished for government’s failure to protect property,” said Sumra.
One of the victims of vandalism, Telkom Kenya announced last year that is loses approximately $6 million to vandals every year. This at a time when Kenya Power and Lightning Company Managing Director Joseph Njoroge revealed that the company had lost over $70 million to vandalism over the last ten years.