Kajiado North Constituency is set to benefit from the erection of street lights in a new phase of the rural electrification programme.
Contractors are installing mass flood lights in Kangawa, Gichagi and Kware areas that have been identified as crime hotspots in the constituency. The erection of flood lights is aimed at improving security in the constituency which has in the recent past seen an increase in the rate of crime.
Area Member of Parliament, Joseph Manje, who is also a member of the parliamentary committee on energy, said the erection of the 100 feet floodlights will serve a large number of constituents who work upto late hours.
“Improving safety and security in the community is crucial for the well-being of residents. A contractor will erect mass floodlights to help improve security in the constituency. The street lights will help in reduction of crime rates within Kajiado North, “said the MP.
The sites to benefit from the programme were handed over to the contractors by Kajiado North Constituency Manager, Caroline Mbuthia, and Alice Muthengi, of Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation.
According to James Ongeri, a resident of Kware in Ongata Rongai, the street lighting project is a good initiative to help in the reduction of crime in the area which has experienced a surge in crime rates in the recent past.
“It has become almost impossible to walk in this area at night because there are incidents of mugging every night. I hope the street lights will remain functional because in some areas, street lights have been dysfunctional for more than a year due to vandalism,” he said.
Deployment of security personnel, erection of flood lights and street lighting has been part of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) agenda to boost security and foster a more conducive business environment.
Areas that benefited from the last phase of the rural electrification programme include Kiserian Primary school road, Olonana Road, Kerarrapon road and Kwa Njenga lane.
The flood lights will be handed over to the County Government on completion for maintenance and billing to ensure that the erected street lights remain functional.
By Amy Moyi and Rop Janet
