By Amy Moyi
Residents of Ngong town in Kajiado North sub-county have decried the vandalism and theft of solar panels that powered street lights within the town. The solar energy street lighting project by the Kajiado county government aimed at utilising sustainable and renewable green energy through the use of solar panels to generate electricity.
The solar energy street lighting project was implemented as an alternative to electricity powered streetlights to provide a clean energy and low cost source of electricity in line with sustainable development goal seven of ensuring access to sustainable renewable energy.
According to John Mulwa a resident of Ngong town, the solar panels street lights eradicated the frequent blackouts experienced with the electricity powered street lights because of disconnection as a result of defaulting electricity bills by the Kajiado County government.
“The solar street lights helped to improve security by providing a constant and reliable source of light. Now insecurity is rampant because they have been stolen to be sold at a throw away price. The streetlights that use electricity do not help because they are disconnected permanently afterwards being in use for only six months because electricity bills are not paid.”
Mulwa has lamented that the theft of the solar panels on the streetlights that cost the county government approximately two hundred thousand Kenyan shillings per panel is a huge financial loss to residents.
“When the solar panels are stolen it is a big loss to residents because the project is funded by the taxpayer. The county government should look for a better way to install the street lights to prevent theft because they are not properly installed.”
Benson Kimani a resident of Umoja area in Ngong town has said that the benefits of the solar street lights as a measure to curb insecurity in the area was short lived because they were vandalised soon after they were installed.
“The solar street lights really helped to improve security but after a short period they were vandalised. Now residents are afraid to be out after dark or leave early because of fear for their safety which is an inconvenience because many people go to work early.”
Kimani has called on the intervention by the Kajiado county government to replace the vandalised solar street lights citing their significance towards the development of the town and an increase in insecurity in Ngong town since they were vandalised.
“We would like to have the solar street lights replaced. We are very saddened because we woke up one day the solar panels on the street lights were gone. They did not last long.From that day, insecurity has increased. I cannot tell who stole them.”
According to Kanai a resident of Ngong town,protecting national resources like solar panels is crucial for the development of the country citing that vandalism of development projects should be thwarted.
“Residents should protect development resources constructed for them at the grassroot level because they are the ones who benefit from these resources. In areas like Lami Safi there is no solar panel left because all of them have been vandalised. The theft of these solar panels takes us backwards.”
Kanai has called or residents to collaborate with national government administrative officers and law enforcement officers to help in protecting national resources for their benefit.
Over thirty solar powered street lights that had been erected in Ngong town in the first phase of the solar project in response to the surge in insecurity in the town have been vandalised.
Solar street lights have gained significant popularity in recent years as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional street lighting. These lights rely on photovoltaic cells to convert the energy from the sun into electricity, which is then used to power the lights during the night.
The Kenyan government through its Vision 2030 development agenda aims to promote development of renewable energy like solar, wind and biogas as an alternative source of energy. Increasing the renewable and clean energy sources is a key building block to reaching the goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and becoming a climate-neutral continent by 2050.
However, obstacles like theft and vandalism of national resources like solar panels if not addressed could be a huge barrier towards realising this development agenda in Kenya.
