The Uasin Gishu County government is installing CCTV cameras in Eldoret town to enhance security surveillance as part of measures to boost investor confidence and position the town for city status.
Governor Jackson Mandago’s administration aims to ensure Eldoret is a safe haven for doing business as the County strives to put in place requisite structures to qualify the town for award of a city in the near future.
Mandago, who is winding up his second five-year term, said the move by his administration to improve infrastructure and other services is expected to attract more investors and traders to establish businesses in Eldoret town to spur the county economic growth and create job opportunities for majority of unemployed youths.
The CCTV installation works are being undertaken by officers from the county’s Energy department. Besides Eldoret town, the Uasin Gishu County government has also extended services to the grassroots through road improvement to ensure farmers are able to deliver fresh produce to the market.
A section of residents from Soy Ward in Soy Sub County and Karuna lauded the county for the construction of Vumilia Box Culvert connecting Vumilia to Simbi in Soy Ward and Cheplasgei-Kong’nyalil (Lowoi) Box Culvert in Karuna/Meibeki ward in Moiben Sub County, which is now at 90 per cent completion.
Mandago said making roads passable throughout the year was aimed at opening agricultural places and enabling residents’ access to Eldoret town and other urban markets.
A team of officers from the Departments of Roads, Transport, Energy and Public Works and Finance met the excited residents during an inspection exercise of the two projects, which are among the 12 bridges under construction across the County during the 2021/22 financial year meant to ease road connectivity and promote trade.
Residents of Vumilia Village led by Janet Simiyu, Julius Kakai, and Henry Shikuku said the bridge had solved the problem of the difficulty of children accessing schools during heavy rains season, apart from enabling residents to transport agricultural produce to the markets during harvest season and boosted trade in the area.
“We are very pleased and satisfied with the progress of the project and would like to thank the county for constructing the bridge. Initially it was risky for children to cross this river which normally floods during the rainy season,” said Nasimiyu.
The works also include drainage, grading, and graveling of new roads in agricultural areas to increase connectivity.
Village elders Henry Shikuku and Julius Kakai said the project had also helped youths in the area get jobs during the construction period, which included the opening of a new road and installation of culverts along the roads in the agriculturally rich area.
Young upcoming contractors in Uasin Gishu who were considered for the implementation of the roads projects across the county urged Kenya Revenue Authority to ease taxation, which remains a big challenge hindering their growth and ability to employ fellow youths.
The County administration has also completed mega projects within Eldoret town whose scope of work includes frontage improvement and beautification, high mast lighting in Kipkaren, Asis, and Ngomongo areas, beautification of Oil Libya Park along Kago Street, walkways and drainage improvement.
Residents of Ngomongo in Kimumu ward and Kipkaren estate in Kipkenyo ward thanked the county government for the installation of the high masts that they said have tremendously reduced cases of crime in their area.
According to Roads, Transport, Energy and Public Works County Executive Eng. Gideon Birir, 6,404 LED Street Lights have been installed, besides, 30 High Mast floodlights, 32 (15m) floodlights, and 256 solar lightings spread across the county having been installed.
“I want to thank the Governor for allocating adequate funds, creating a directorate of energy with enough human resource, and also going out of his way to negotiate with the National Government and other development partners like Kenya Informal Settlement Project, Kenya Urban Support Program who have also supported us,” said Eng. Birir.
By Kiptanui Cherono
