Posted on :Thursday , 4th July 2024

Kiambu County Government has launched the first photovoltaic lighting project in Fort Jesus, Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu.

Governor Kimani Wamatangi, CECM of Lands, Housing, Physical Planning and Municipalities, Ms. Salome Muthoni and local MCAs introduced comprehensive solar street lights as a component of the urban transformation strategy.

Addressing Fort Jesus locals, Wamatangi said that the first 35 solar street lights have been launched and will be placed, with the ultimate goal of increasing the total amount of solar street lights to 115.

According to the Governor, the county's monthly electricity bill for street lighting was Ksh 142 million and with growing power rates that figure will soon approach Ksh 200 million.

Wamatangi also indicated that when digging ground on a new level 3 hospital in Kahawa Sukari ward, Ruiru Sub County, all street lighting projects will be solar-powered.

"The majority of the county's budget would be consumed by electricity costs if a solar lighting system is not installed", the official stated.

He continued: "To save money, the county government will now make investments in solar energy and any new street lighting projects must focus on solar power otherwise we will run of money to pay our electrical bills if this trend keeps up" The governor announced.

According to the CEC, the integrated solar street lighting project is the first of several that will be carried out in Kiambu's numerous sub-counties.

"We have come here to launch the solar street light project in Fort Jesus and we would like to say that this is the start of so many projects we have planned," Muthoni told reporters.

The solar energy project is a collaboration between the Kiambu County Government, the Executive and the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP).

Before the government announced its intention to switch to solar lighting systems, the Kiambu County Government paid Sh1.7 billion per year for electrical bills associated to street lights.

The solar street lighting project has begun in Bosnia (Riverside) at Kiuu Ward and Gitambaya (Fort Jesus/Matopeni Settlement), Biashara Ward, Ruiru Sub-County.