Counties

Oparanya says street lighting project not viable

OPA

Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya has dismissed as nonviable the ongoing street lighting project sponsored by the national government in the county.

Mr Oparanya Tuesday said street lighting was a function of the county government and asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop wasting taxpayers’ money by launching “non-viable projects” in the area.

He said the national government’s street lighting project was bound to fail because of the running costs.

“The national government will not be footing electricity bills for the lights because that is not its function. What President Kenyatta and DP William Ruto are doing in constituencies under Jubilee MPs in Kakamega is wrong and likely to cause duplication of projects with the county government,” said Mr Oparanya.

He claimed that the lights initiated by the national government in Malava Constituency were a puppet project because they stopped functioning three months after installation.

“This is a pure waste of public resources. The lights cannot function if there is no contract between the two governments. Kenya Power #ticker:KPLC will soon be switching off these lights. This money could have been diverted to sustainable projects to benefit the masses,” he said.

Mr Oparanya, who spoke to journalists in Mumias town on Tuesday, said the county government had launched urban areas lighting project in Malava, Mumias town and Butere.

“We are going to commission more lighting masts in urban towns like Lumakanda, Matete, Butali and Matunda in Malava Constituency before we move to other areas” he said.