The County Government of Kisumu has announced plans to install more than 1,600 street lights across the town later this year in a bid to improve security for residents and the business community. The initiative, supported under the Kenya Urban Support Program through the World Bank, is expected to commence in August.
City Manager Michael Abala Wanga said the project will significantly enhance lighting in Kisumu town and its environs, noting that the program will also incorporate solar technology to reduce costs. He explained that reliance on Kenya Power had become unsustainable due to high electricity bills and frequent vandalism of power cables, which had made conventional street lighting extremely expensive.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Lake Region Traders Association, Wanga emphasised that security remains a top priority for the county. He announced that Millimani Estate will pilot a gated community model, which will later be rolled out to other residential areas. The estate has in recent years witnessed attacks on business people and residents, prompting calls for stronger security measures.
Wanga urged residents to embrace community policing as part of efforts to curb crime. Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo, who accompanied him, warned that private security firms operating without valid licenses will be targeted in a crackdown. He said such companies have no place in Kisumu’s security framework.
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Leparmorijo added that newly established police outposts across the town will soon be equipped with vehicles to improve patrols. Chiefs and their assistants will also be assigned police officers to strengthen grassroots operations. He noted that criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, citing the recent arrest of a suspect accused of killing a General Service Unit officer.
Concerns about insecurity were echoed by business leaders and civil society representatives. Rafik Dhanji, vice chairman of the traders’ caucus, said thugs have attacked residents in several parts of Kisumu and often hide in abandoned houses within Millimani Estate. He called for more vehicle patrols to deter crime.
Israel Agina, chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urged stakeholders to work together to combat insecurity, while civil society activist Audi Ogada insisted that criminals arrested should not be released back into the community.
By Fredrick Odiero
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