Concern over vandalism around industrial park in Naivasha

A total of 32 transformers have been vandalised in Naivasha. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Most of the fence around a multi-billion industrial park in Mai Mahiu, Naivasha in Nakuru County, has been vandalised just months after it was erected.

This has been blamed on tens of herders and farmers in the semi-arid area. And the police have been accused of not doing anything to stop the destruction.

This comes a fortnight after Kenya Railways kicked off a two-month trial of seamlessly ferrying goods from Mombasa, through Inland Container Depot at the industrial park, to Malaba using railway transport.

Naivasha deputy county commissioner Mutua Kisilu said they have heightened security around the industrial park following the new cases of vandalism.

“We have formed a multi-agency team to inspect and secure all government infrastructure. We will decisively deal with cases of vandalism,” he said.

Kisilu who spoke at his office expressed his concern over the theft of the fencing materials around the vast park and wondered why security officers did nothing to stop the vandals.

“We are disturbed by the vandalism of the fence. We have launched investigations and anyone found to have been involved will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

Kisilu at the same time expressed concern over the vandalism of water pipes and tanks within Naivasha town and its environs.

Last month, the Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu, Kiambere-Embakassi, and Loiyangalani-Suswa high voltage power lines were vandalized plunging parts of the country into darkness.

The administrator noted that all the towers that had been vandalized have since been repaired. He said a contractor is on-site to fill in underground tunnels left behind by sand harvesters.

Kisilu noted that in the last few months, a total of 32 transformers have been vandalised in Naivasha.

“We have banned sand harvesting along the power lines. At the same time, two suspects have been fined Sh2 million for vandalism,” he said.