Governor commissions a Sh 170 million street lighting project

A senior Kenya Power and Lighting Company Jeremiah Mwaniki, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguriu and her Deputy Peter Ndambiri at Kagio market on February 22, 2019. [Munene Kamau, Standard]

A street lighting project worth Sh170 million from Sagana town to Samson’s corner has been completed.

The project, now lighting up 22km along the Sagana-Kianjiru Road, was commissioned on Thursday evening by Governor Anne Waiguru.

She said were it not for the partnership between the national and county governments, the project would not have been realised.

“Upon receiving news that our county had been identified to host the sixth Devolution Conference, late last year, we approached the national government for assistance. You can now see what such partnership has done,“ she said.

Speaking at Kagio town moments after commissioning the project, Ms Waiguru said massive infrastructure development was currently underway in readiness for the five-day conference. She said roads leading to Kirinyaga University grounds, the conference venue, are also being improved. “We want our guests to be comfortable and that is why we want to ensure all facilities required are up to standards,“ she said.

Kenya Power, the implementing agent, asked residents to protect lights from vandalism bearing in the mind the huge sum of money spent.

A representative from the company, Jeremiah Mwaniki said while the government had provided funds for installation of the street lights, the county government will service monthly bills.

Mr Mwaniki, accompanied by several senior managers, said vandalism and nonpayment of monthly bills were huge challenges that his firm experiences often.

But on that regard, Waiguru assured Kenya Power her government has sound financial base to continuously pay for the bills to enable residents achieve a 24-hour economy.

“It is not just the conference which is making us install street lights but the realisation of a 24-hour economy,“ she said.