Detectives drawn from the Directorate of the Criminal Investigation (DCI) have apprehended the main suspect behind the vandalisation of the Nairobi Expressway.
The suspect was nabbed by police officers attached to the Embakasi Police Station following an intensive operation carried out on the 27-kilometer road project.
According to the detectives, the suspect was caught red-handed in the act on Wednesday night, March 30.
He was allegedly nabbed in possession of eleven boxes of greener landscaping materials used for planting flowers, assorted vandalised aluminum bars, vandalised metal angle lines, and sacks containing vandalised metal inter-locking screws for guard rails.
Following the arrest, the suspect was detained at Embakasi Police Station awaiting to be charged for vandalism of critical infrastructure.
"The suspect is currently in custody at Embakasi Police Station as detectives prepare appropriate charges against him," the DCI stated.
The multibillion road project is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta's legacy projects running from Mlolongo in Athi River to James Gichuru Road in Westlands and was built under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Upon completion, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will operate the road for a period of 27 years to recoup the money spent on its construction before handing it over to Kenya. The operation will be through charging motorists through a toll schedule which is yet to be released to the public.
Uhuru had taken a hard stance on vandalism following mass destruction of electricity transmission pylons. He banned the scrap metal business before the order was party reversed.
"As of today, we will no longer allow, and we have put a moratorium on the export or the buying or selling of any scrap material until we have put in place proper guidelines that will ensure that material is not coming from the hard-won investments that the Kenyan people have made," Uhuru stated.
"We have seen vandalism of different sign boards and towers of our transmission lines. We have also seen clear cases of sabotage as was the case in Naivasha where people intentionally unbolted some of our transmission lines and masts to create chaos and havoc."
Other pieces of infrastructure that have been targeted by vandals include Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and other road highways in the country.
