President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday announced a moratorium on scrap metal trade in the country as part of Government efforts to end the rising cases of vandalism of key public installations.
The President said the moratorium will stay in place until after the Government puts in place adequate measures to effectively police the sourcing, trade and export of scrap metal warning that those found culpable for vandalism of state infrastructure will be dealt with firmly.
While referring to recent vandalism of electricity transmission infrastructure, the Standard Gauge Railway and communication masts, Kenyatta termed the acts as economic sabotage saying the Government won’t tolerate the destruction.
“The law is clear. These acts are nothing less than economic sabotage which fall under treasonable acts and the law is clear as to how we deal with treasonable acts. We will not allow you to destroy that which is for the growth and development of our country to benefit a few individual pockets,” Kenyatta cautioned.
Kenyatta stated that tough action will be taken against anyone found culpable of vandalism.
“We will not allow you to destroy that which is for the growth and development of our country to benefit a few individuals’ pockets. That we will not allow. That is economic sabotage, and the law is very clear on how such people should be dealt with,” he said.
In order of importance the strategies to mitigate vandalism are strengthening the legal and judicial system of law enforcement for prosecuting the vandals is the most important followed by company policies, educating the citizens to increase their knowledge on the importance of the infrastructures, changing the location of the infrastructure and lastly redesigning the infrastructure.
Vandals have targeted state infrastructure to enrich themselves. Many individuals try their level best to make ends meet no matter the kind of the business, rather the scrap metal business in Kenya is one of the most thriving enterprises because it generates over 500 million annually, their market being the black market locally and international market through cartel.
The effects of vandalism on service delivery with a look at transformers, cables, meters and manhole covers.
It is limited to Nairobi and to three corporations which are Kenya Power, Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, and Safaricom.
The interest was on vandalism of service infrastructure since this is one of the biggest contributors to inefficiencies and market failures for electricity, water supply, communication, and security.
In April 2020 the Kenya railways police arrested four people caught vandalizing sections of the Standard Gauge Railway line in Ngong area of Kajiado County.
The accused persons were caught vandalizing the SGR Bridge on Magadi Road on the way to Kiserian sub-county just past Maxwell University.
The vandals were loosening the guardrails on the bridge and carting away the metal pipes.
This railway line compromises the safety of the operations and puts the life of the passengers and the Corporation’s staff at risk.
He reiterated the Corporation’s commitment in ensuring the safety of the Standard Gauge Railway and all its assets. He further said that any person found vandalizing railway property is guilty of a felony and liable to prosecution.
Recently ten Kenya Power senior managers of the troubled utility firm, Kenya Power were taken to Kahawa Law courts within the precincts of Kamiti Maximum Prisons by detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
This comes after they were questioned over negligence and sabotaging electricity supply that rocked the country last week.
Amongst officials who have been arrested include the General manager in charge of the network, Chief Engineer, network management officials, Chief security officer among others. Others are Eng George Korir, David Mutiso, Julius Mwaniki of transmission, security officer Geoffrey Kigen, and Kithusia.
“The angle towers had been vandalised and bracings could not support the weight of the conductors which are very heavy. Other towers failed to sustain the weight and also caved in,” the DCI said.