Lodwar Municipality Board held a quarter-two meeting yesterday to plan for the commissioning of completed projects that were initiated during the first quarter meeting in September 2022.
This was after the review of the projects budgeted in last Financial Year 2021/2022 as well as those proposed in FY’2022/2023.
The Board Chairperson, Tatoi Christine said the commissioning of parking lots, installed solar-powered streetlights in town and a dumpsite at Nayanae-angikalalio are due for commissioning as enabler for growth of business in Lodwar.
“I am grateful, despite the start-up challenges, that the Board and the technical staff in the Municipality have exceptionally performed, keen to seeing the completed projects commissioned for use”. Chair Tatoi expressed.
Further, she stated that the Board is committed to have all the vandalized solar-powered street lights repaired and maintained to increase hours of doing business while ensuring there is enough security throughout the night.
Tatoi noted that the opening of the access roads in the Municipality will be key in opening up spaces for businesses and also facilitate easy access during response at the time of emergency.
On Board Charter, the Chair asserted that there was need to have it in place to enable the Board to take full control of the Municipality.
The Municipality, she said, needed to move with speed in identification and gazzetment of public land within the Municipality to deny the unscrupulous cartels an opportunity to grab land.
For learning and sharing experiences and to be at par with the rest of the Municipalities, the Chair urged the Board Members to take advantage of the planned exposure visit to Kisumu and Garissa, next year 2023 to improve service delivery.
County Executive Committee for Lands Department, Peter Akono, echoed the Chair sentiments and assured the Board of his support in ensuring the Board performs beyond its expectations in realization of its mandate to the residents of Lodwar Municipality.
CECM Akono who is also a member of the board stated that the Government would fast track the transfer of all the functions to the Municipality with resources it requires so as to function independently.
Ag. Municipality Manager, who is also secretary to the Board, Esther Kiyonga stated that in ensuring the Municipality is well lit in enhancing 24-hour economy, the 258 missing batteries, 136 missing panels, 134 vandalized charge controllers, four missing lamps and two fallen streetlights need to be repaired with immediate effect.
Manager Kiyonga said that, Ksh. 10 million has been set aside in supplementary budget to procure and bring back to life the vandalized solar-powered street lights in the 14 sites.
The sites include; Lodwar Referral Hospital, Cooperative roundabout, KCB, Ngonda, Naipa, Mikeka ground, 7-Up, KWFT Junction,KAG Soweto, KRA office, NCPB/Toyota in Township.
Other affected areas are: Nikon Nikon, Marble Road Junction, County headquarters Junction in Kanamkemer.
This was as a result of the assessment of solar powered streetlights report conducted in Lodwar Municipality by the Directorate of Energy last November, 2022.
The report aimed at making informed decision in streamlining routine maintenance of solar street lights in the Municipality.
Board Members present were; Boniface Lokuruka (Vice Chair), Nabali Margaret(Member), Roseline Ngilebei(Member), Chris Erukudi (Member), Moses Mariao (Member) and Ambrose Merinyang (Member).
