Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has directed residents of the county to "institute apprehension" of individuals who are vandalising city infrastructure in a bid to eliminate crime in the city.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, September 8, Sakaja claimed that despite the county government working closely with the DCI and the National Police Service (NPS) to increase the police presence in the CBD to reinforce security, citizens must also take responsibility to curb these incidents.
According to Sakaja, some individuals have been deliberately sabotaging lighting infrastructure in the CBD, which has created a conducive environment for crime to thrive.
Sakaja has revealed that the county government has introduced a toll-free number, 988, through which citizens can contact the county government if they spot any individuals involved in crime.
"Vandalism of public infrastructure is against the law because that is infrastructure that has been placed there using your money. We have equipment to ensure that we repair the power infrastructure in the city, but we want to warn anyone vandalising power that they will face the full force of the law if caught," Sakaja stated.
"When I took office, there were so many cases of crime in the city, but we worked with security agencies to ensure that order was restored, and we shall not allow it to go back there," he added.
Sakaja has further noted that the county government will also have an engagement with the business community in the CBD to ensure that they erect their own CCTV cameras and lights, in line with the county by-laws.
"We shall have a meeting with all the building owners and deliberate on how they can put their CCTVs and lights outside their buildings, and this will improve the security of the city, and this is something that is being done by many cities across the world, not just here," Sakaja stated.
The county chief has, however, assured that the county government is working closely with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) to repair and erect more lighting lamps in the city, especially in crime-prone areas.
On the other hand, Sakaja has issued a stern warning to boda boda operators in the city who have engaged in unlawful activities. Sakaja revealed that the county government, in collaboration with the boda boda association in the city, has already agreed on the designated pick-up points that the operators should operate in.
According to Sakaja, they have agreed to form Saccos, which will make it easier for them to weed out crime. "Many people working in the Boda boda sector are very good people and are working well, but we would like to encourage them not to allow a few individuals to come and tarnish their reputation; they need to root them out," Sakaja said.
"If you are found to be operating outside the designated areas, we shall apprehend you, and there is nothing you can do about it," he added.
