Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration plans to spend Sh240 million to put up new fire stations in Gikomba and Kangemi areas.
The estimates are contained in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper for the FY2023/2024 that has been tabled before the county assembly by Mabatini MCA Wilfred Odalo, who is also the chairperson of the Budget Committee.
The Disaster Management and Coordination sector has been allocated Sh722.5 million with Sh642.5 million spent on development while Sh130 million is the recurrent expenditure in the FY2023/24 that begins in July this year.
The budget estimates show that another Sh402.5 million will be splashed to equip existing fire stations.
The increased budget from the current financial year allocation of Sh275 million is aimed at dealing better with disasters, especially the perreniel Gikomba market fires.
“The committee justified that the additional construction of Kangemi fire station would help deal with the fire disasters. Further, the additional projects would ensure that the existing fire stations are adequately equipped to mitigate disasters,” the document states.
Further, Sakaja’s administration will also establish community emergency response centres in the five boroughs and the different county wards for Sh12.5 million. While the Emergency Operation Centre will be upgraded for Sh50 million.
“We have aligned ourselves with Sakaja’s manifesto because as the members of the assembly, we have seen that he means well for the Nairobi residents. We realised that fire is rampant and we have allocated funds for the fire stations and provision of facilities in slums such as Mathare and other areas,” Odalo said.
City Hall has set also aside Sh180 million for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and Sh60 million for the purchase of three Advanced Life Support Ambulances to improve disaster response.
A further Sh5 million will be spent on the amendment and operationalisation of the Disaster Management Act of 2015.
