The county government of Kisumu has revealed its plan to install 2,500 CCTV cameras actively to improve surveillance and curb escalating crime.
A geospatial plan for the project has outlined locations for the installation, which also aims to monitor transport mobility in the lakeside city.
City Manager Abala Wanga stated that currently, the city, ranking as the third largest in the country, lacks CCTV cameras and heavily depends on those installed on private buildings by the business community. He highlighted that this approach is ineffective in overseeing activities in the city, which has experienced a tenfold population growth.
The cameras, set to be mounted in the city, estates, and strategic points in rural areas, will be integrated with street lights to ensure clear monitoring from one point to another.
“We want when somebody has committed a crime on a street in the CBD for example, he is monitored to his destination,” he said.
Mr Wanga further explained that this approach would also apply to motor vehicles, public service vehicles, boda bodas, and tuk-tuks to ensure the safety of the city.
He mentioned that all boda boda operators would undergo registration, and their two-wheelers would be equipped with GPS devices to monitor their movement.
This initiative, set to be implemented under the urban resilience mass transport initiative through the World Bank-funded Kisumu Urban Project (KUP), was initiated in response to a surge in criminal activities associated with the operators, he stated.
“Anywhere there is a crime or robbery incident you will always find a boda boda person there. That is why we want them registered with GPIS so that we can monitor them through the system and the CCTV cameras,” he said.
Wanga revealed that the city management has issued new directives for rerouting public transport, stating that the CCTV cameras would aid in tracking non-compliant operators.
According to the new directive, vehicles arriving from Busia and Bondo will follow an alternative route at the Paramount area, pass through Mamba, and then proceed to the main bus park via Ondiek Road.
Additionally, town service vehicles will discharge passengers at Patel roundabout and will not be permitted into the CBD, he explained.
“Vehicles coming through Mombasa road will drop passengers at the interchange to ensure that the highway remains clear for transiting vehicles,” Wanga stated.
The City Manager added that all bus companies have been assigned space at the new Mowlen stage and will not be permitted to have offices within the CBD.
“I am urging all bus operators to adhere to this directive; failure to comply will result in their vehicles being clamped starting tomorrow(Friday, February 23),” he warned.
He also cautioned against illegal bus parks at petrol stations, Kisumu Boys, Kisumu Girls, Aga Khan, and Kamas areas, stating that they have been outlawed.
