PS says fire stations are neglected

By Steve Mkawale

There are only 535 trained fire fighters in 26 major towns across the country, a parliamentary committee was told on Wednesday.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government Prof. Karega Mutahi told the Local Authority Committee members that the fire stations lacked fire engines and equipments.

"We are sitting on a time bomb. The government is ill prepared. This is one of the most neglected sector in the country. Even as we speak here Treasury has only allocated us Sh100million for firefighting equipment yet our request was Sh400million in the 2012/2013 budget," said Prof. Mutahi.

The PS said there were only 30 fire engines which are currently operational across the country.

Karega was among government officials who were summoned by the parliamentary committee to give status of disaster preparedness in the country following incidents of fire outbreaks especially in Nairobi.

The committee chaired by Kinangop MP David Ngugi is interested in looking into the disaster preparedness especially in the city with a view of strengthening the fire fighting department under the ministry of local government or make it autonomous with adequate funding.

Mutahi said the ministry lacks resources to invest in fire equipment, as all the locals authorities were heavily burdened with debts running into billions of shillings.

"Underfunding by the Treasury has made the situation worst. In the financial year 2011-2012, were asked for Sh450million but we were allocated Sh102million, which was not enough for purchasing and maintaining firefighting equipment," said the PS.

Nairobi Deputy Mayor William Kinyanyi told the committee that the council has nine fire engines but only three were operational.

The City’s engineer Mr. Stephen Mburu said they only have two fire stations; one along Tom Mboya Street and the other on Enterprise Road in a City.

"The issue of lack of fire equipment is major. Also lack of water hydrants is another challenge. The council do not have enough water hydrants. Some have been vandalized while others have been blocked by people who have come up and constructed buildings where these hydrants stood," said Mburu.

The committee also heard that the Central Business District has no water hydrant. The one that could serve the city was situated where the International House is.

Ministry of Metropolitan Permanent Secretary Philip Osika said since its inception, the ministry has issued 12 fire engines and 12 ambulances to local authorities.

"We have managed to train about 120 fire fighters," said Osika adding that there was a need to establish a school to train fire fighters locally.

Committee members Zakayo Cheruiyot and Gideon Konchella accused the Local Government Ministry and the City Council of Nairobi of lack of proper planning and failure to formulate legislations that would enable local authorities effectively dealing with the problems facing them.

"The city council has allocated plots on way-lines, which are supposed to host water hydrants creating a big problem for the fire fighting department," said Konchella.