Kajiado County is benighted in ‘darkness’

Erratic power supply and poor sewer or drainage system in Ongata Rongai, Ngong and Kiserian is curtailing economic growth. It is also choking and battering residents who are already going through a perennial traffic jam, poor infrastructure and dirty markets. Ongata Rongai and Ngong are serene settlement areas; fantastic places to live in but the leaders here are corrupt.

The county government of Kajiado (led by Governor Nkendienye and Senator Mositet) has completely forgotten these prime and vote-rich areas. The residents have promised to vote them off in 2017. Ongata Rongai and Ngong are serene towns but lack of clean water, poor infrastructure, erratic power supply and poor sewer services not forgetting extremely congested dirty markets will cost them a lot in 2017. The drainage systems are in a deplorable state due to garbage. The lack of a sewer system gives businessmen, schools, universities and property owners an exorbitant task of engaging exhauster services to pump out sewage waste weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. A truck charges between Sh10, 000 to Sh15, 000 depending on the amount it empties. Some property owners after incurring a high cost engaging exhauster services, have found an alternative of pumping sewage into trenches leading to the drainage system by the roads. This is done when the septic tanks get filled up.

Power cuts are becoming a daily routine in Ongata Rongai and its environs with very poor communication of the same by Kenya Power. Businesses are incurring losses due to many hours of lost productivity. Those opting to supplement power supplies with oil-fired generators have to deal with rising fuel costs averaging Sh90 (US$1.6) a litre for petrol. Power outbreaks, power spikes, surges and low-voltage are worrying the residents! The locals and informal businesses located in the area are the most affected because they cannot afford the use of generators. Owners of cybercafés, secretarial bureaus, salons, barbershops, welding workshops and motor vehicle garages are watching their poverty level increasing due to lack of electricity. Schools and universities are also counting loses.

These interruptions are not necessary at all bearing in mind that repairs and installation of new power lines and equipment have been completed. These seemingly good measures have not improved at all the quality and reliability of supply in these areas. The residents are seriously complaining because Kenya power has become so unpredictable, so unreliable and useless causing a lot of inconveniences.

Dr. Njenga, Solomon

School of Governance, Peace and Security