- This will make it mandatory for all commercial and residential buildings in the county to install CCTVs, to help curb insecurity cases in the capital.
- An Overseas Security Advisory Council report released in May 2020, reveals that Nairobi residents stand a high risk of being victims of crime on any given day.
Image: CHARLES KIMANI
Nairobi MCAs want City Hall and Nairobi Metropolitan Services to formulate a policy compelling building owners to mount Closed Circuit Televisions in their premises.
This will make it mandatory for all commercial and residential buildings in the county to install CCTVs, to help curb insecurity cases in the capital.
Through the policy City Hall and NMS will also be compelled to set up cameras in all county-owned facilities, public places and also in the informal settlements.
Kabiro Ward MCA Clarence Munga, who moved the motion last week, noted that the city has witnessed a rise of insecurity cases in the city centre.
According to a comprehensive report released by the Overseas Security Advisory Council in May 2020, Nairobi residents stand a high risk of being victims of crime on any given day.
"Street crime is a serious problem, particularly in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, Meru, and other large cities. Most street crime involves multiple armed assailants.
"In some instances, street gangs incite criminal activity, which has the potential to escalate into mob violence with little notice," the report read.
Due to the rise of insecurity a police anti-mugging unit started patrolling the CBD in May this year.
The unit also patrols along Uhuru Highway where motorists have complained of being harassed.
The road has been experiencing long traffic jams due to the construction of the Expressway.
Thugs take advantage of the late evening traffic to harass and rob motorists.
According to Kabiro, due to lack of CCTVs in the city slums, a big number of criminal activities go unnoticed, hence not reported.
“In this century, camera installation is highly important as they can help law enforcers investigate and later provide evidence for the prosecution,” he added.
Supporting the motion, Dandora Four Francis Ngesa said most CCTVs installed in the CBD are mostly to observe traffic, while only a few are connected at specific areas to monitor crime.
He explained that thugs take advantage and attack commuters in the open streets.
“But with the policy, there will now be guidelines on standards and conditions to be adopted in the operation of the CCV cameras,” Ngesa added.
Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi highlighted that having CCTVs will assist Nairobi to realise a 24-hour economy as security for businesses and residents is indispensable.
“Having the surveillance cameras used together with audio, verbal, and other types of sensors can alert officials to occurrences that are out of the ordinary,” he said.
In 2018, a county assembly committee report revealed that the much-touted Sh437 million security CCTV project in Nairobi’s city centre is a massive failure despite the colossal sum of public money invested.
The Nairobi county’s Public Accounts Committee report revealed that 26 out of the 42 CCTV’s installed to control traffic on major roads are not functional.
The cameras are on Moi Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue and Tom Mboya Street.
The watchdog committee report tabled by its chairman, Mabatini MCA Wilfred Odalo showed that the security cameras installed in CBD cannot be relied upon to enhance security for Nairobi residents.
“However, as observed by the Auditor General, the project has been a total failure despite a colossal sum of public money spent,” 2015-2016 Auditor General’s report read.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)