CCTV cameras watch over city

By RAWLINGS OTIENO and DANIEL NZIA 

Kenya: With increased terror threats, Kenyans are living under the watch of the Big Brother with Nairobi and Machakos counties among those with street CCTV surveillance.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero says at least 3,000 more CCTV cameras will be installed in the city to curb the rising insecurity and terrorism.

Their installation will go a long way in netting robbers, carjackers and terrorist hovering within the Central Business District and the environs.

“The installation of the cameras seeks to curb and bring order to Nairobi’s congested traffic sector and rising crime and terrorism,” said Kidero.

In the past, daring daylight robberies have been captured by CCTV cameras but there has been little proof that the suspects filmed were arrested on the strength of footage.

Nairobi County Executive in charge Public works, Roads and Transport Evans Ondieki said the CBD is well covered but a major challenge lies in installing the cameras in the estates within the capital.

He said that the county needs at least 10,000 CCTV cameras to curb the spiralling  cases of insecurity and acts of terrorism that has left hundreds of people dead and others injured.

“We will be putting up expression of interest from the public to offer CCTV cameras installation within the CBD. We hope once these cameras are installed, the rate of crime will drastically reduce,” said Ondieki.

He explained that Sh680 million has been allocated in the 2014-2015 financial year for CCTV camera installation aand streetlights.

In October last year,  it took police about 48 hours to identify, arrest and charge two suspects, Jamal Maina Macharia and Tom Mbugua, after a video clip of the three shooting dead an M-Pesa agent in Ngara chemist.