Siaya County headquarters has been locked out of the internet following the destruction of fibre optic cables by a contractor.
Following the development, several national government departments such as the county commissioner’s office, the police, Huduma centre and many others could not render services to the public or communicate to their headquarters via email.
Confirming the incident, Siaya Deputy County Commissioner, Enock Nyarango said that his office had received the complains and had already raised the matter with the contractor who is undertaking the World Bank funded infrastructure development in Siaya town.
The Sh50 million project being undertaken by M/s Mijesh Enterprises, entails the construction of non-motorised transport facilities and drainage system within the Siaya town central business district.
Mr Nyarango said that the destruction of the fibre optic cables could have been as a result of lack of communication between the contractor and the ICT authority.
He however said that his office had instructed the contractor to liaise with the authority to have the services restored and avoid further destruction of the ICT infrastructure. “We have asked the contractor to sit down and see to it that the construction works does not interfere with other services such as ICT and we are happy that he is positive” said the Deputy County Commissioner.
Nyarango apologised to the public who could have been inconvenienced by the hitch, adding that everything possible was being done to have the services resume within a fortnight.
The ongoing construction of non-motorised transport facilities in Siaya town has seen several infrastructures erected along road reserves such as water pipes destroyed, as the contractor’s excavators dig out everything in site
ICT officials told KNA that among the fibre cables immobilised was the feeder cable from the national fibre optic grid and Safaricom main line, therefore interfering with the internet modulation within the major government offices.
Road users, among them motorists and motorcyclists have also been accusing the contractor of failing to erect warning signs and blocking the roads at will.
They said that accidents have been recorded when motorists bump onto blockades erected on a blind corner and called on the government to ensure that enough warning signs are erected along the roads undergoing repairs.
By Philip Onyango
