Kiambu County Government has commissioned the first solar street light project in Fort Jesus, Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi and CECM of Lands, Housing, Physical Planning and Municipalities, Ms. Salome Muthoni, and area MCA’s launched the integrated solar street lighting as part of the urban transformation plan.
Addressing the residents of Fort Jesus, Wamatangi announced that the first 35 solar street lights have already been launched and will be installed with the end goal of having a total number of solar street lights put up to 115.
According to the Governor, the county’s monthly electricity expense for street lighting was Ksh 142 million and since power prices are rising, that amount would soon reach Ksh 200 million.
Wamatangi further stated that all street lighting projects be solar-oriented when breaking ground on a new level 3 hospital in Kahawa Sukari ward, Ruiru Sub County.
“The majority of the county’s budget would be consumed by electricity costs if a solar lighting system is not installed”, he said
He added, “To save money, the county government will now make investments in solar energy, and any new street lighting projects must focus on solar power otherwise we will run of money to pay our electrical bills if this trend keeps up” The governor declared.
The CEC said that the integrated solar street lighting project is just the first of many projects that will be done in various sub-counties in Kiambu.
“We have come here to launch the solar street light project in Fort Jesus and we would like to say that this is the start of so many projects we have planned,” Muthoni noted.
The solar project is a partnership between the Kiambu County Government, the Executive, and the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP).
Last year, Kiambu County Government had been paying Sh1.7 billion a year for electricity costs related to street lights before the government planned to switch to solar lighting systems.
The solar street lighting project has been launched in Bosnia (Riverside) in Kiuu Ward, and Gitambaya (Fort Jesus/Matopeni Settlement), Biashara Ward,Ruiru Sub-County.
By Sylvia Wanjohi
