Government to scale-up war against vandalism

The Government has declared war on the rising cases of vandalism of critical public infrastructure in the coastal region.

Coast Regional Commissioner (RC) John Elungata contends that the government is committed to protect key infrastructure from runaway vandalism and crackdown on the scrap metal business.

Elungata said security agencies will deal firmly with vandals targeting railways, communication masts, electricity transformers and road infrastructure.

The administrator noted that vandalism menace has been on the rise especially of huge infrastructure projects including the Makupa Causeway and the Dongo Kundu bypass, Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and power and distribution lines in Mombasa County.

Elungata spoke at Chandaria Hall in Mombasa on Friday during a meeting attended by representatives drawn from security agencies and several heads of departments and parastatal chiefs in the wake of increased vandalism.

The meeting was also addressed by the Director General of the National Transport and Safety Authority  (NTSA) George Njao, Coast Regional Police Commander Manase Musyoka, Mombasa County Commissioner Lukas Mwanza and representatives from Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

The officials gave a detailed account of theft and damages of equipment amounting to millions of shillings through vandalism in their respective institutions.

Elungata called on the chiefs and their assistants to be on the lookout and share information with the security agencies involved in tackling the vandalism and the now banned scrap metal business in their respective areas.

He called on the public to help the authorities in protecting government investments, which are meant to serve them.

Elungata also decried the increased cases of illegal power connections and vandalism of electricity infrastructure and urged swift action against the perpetrators.

“Security and all other government agencies must work closely and share information to tame the vandalism menace and other criminal activities in the region,” he added.

Njao told the meeting that unregistered vehicles and those with foreign number plates are increasingly being used for criminal activities.

“Such vehicle owners do not even pay the requisite import tax claiming that they are on transit but end up in the local market,”  said Njao.

He also noted that NTSA has introduced several measures including registration and issuance of badges to public service vehicle drivers and conductors to curb the increased cases of road accidents.

Elungata asked NTSA and other security agencies to mount a crackdown on rogue boda boda operators who he blamed for flouting traffic regulations including safety measures and carrying excess passengers.

He said most of the road accidents have been caused by boda boda riders and added that according to statistics they are killing more people than motor vehicles.

Lately, the government has intensified the war against vandalism of critical public infrastructure in the country, which it has described as economic sabotage.

Recently, President Uhuru Kenyatta banned any further dealing in scrap metal until guidelines to regulate the sector have been put in place.

This directive has already started yielding positive results in some parts of the country where scrap metal business has reduced significantly.