Nakuru county administration counts losses as Sh 75million bus terminus is vandalised
The bus terminus opposite highway towers has been vandalised leaving gaping holes where the metal grills used to be.
In efforts to ease traffic congestion within the Central Business District, the County Government of Nakuru launched the ultra-modern bus terminus that is opposite Highway Towers.
The bus terminus has been operational for about two years housing both long distance travel vehicles and those operating within the city.
In the past three months, there have been cases of vandalism, leaving the once beautiful terminus that had grills on its perimeter wall a former shell of what it once was.
A section of the bus terminus that has been vandalised.
The grills have since been forcefully removed leaving ugly patches on the wall and giving the bus terminus that cost the County Government Sh 75 million a distasteful look.
The city manager Gitau Thabanja says that vandalism sets the government back millions of shillings.
“When even a single shilling of the tax payers’ money is spent on rebuilding a project that was already finished, that is a lot of money wasted. As of now the vandalism has reduced compared to earlier months as we are working to combat this with the help of security agencies,” he said.
He added that until they are able to do an official audit, it will be hard to quantify the losses incurred on the bus terminus and other recently vandalized property.
City manager Gitau Thabanja during an interview on September 7, 2023.
A similar incidence that hit the news headlines was in Naivasha, where street lights in some of the estates were vandalized living the streets in darkness.
As a result, this posed a huge security risk to the residents who have to navigate in the darkness at night.
The Scrap Metal Act 2015 was passed to help in preventing vandalism and this also enhances its regulation.
The law states that a person shall not deal in scrap metal, unless that person has a license issued by the council and is a member of the Scrap Metal Dealers Association.
Those found on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with a penalty not exceeding Sh 20 million or a prison term not exceeding five years or both for a second or subsequent offence in dealing with scrap metals.