Given that they stand some 30 feet tall, their disappearance is attracting a good deal of attention here — even as their final destination remains a mystery.
Vandals have stolen at least 20 street lamps, each valued at between Sh20,000 and Sh30,000s installed to power Thika town streets plunging the Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina’s funded project into problems.
The lamps were removed from a series of masts along Thika-Mang’u and Gatuanyaga-Munyu roads.
The audacity of the thefts has startled even law enforcement officials. “It definitely is brazen, It surprises me that people would be so brazen as to do something like this.” a local said
The police have no suspects.
According to the foundation’s street lighting programme officer, they suspect the lamps were stolen by skilled electricians owing to the manner in which they were removed from their masts.
The widespread vandalism of electricity infrastructure impacts negatively on the security of the neighbourhoods and provision of quality service delivery to the residents of Thika.
“This could be a case of impunity but we highly suspect the one behind this has a ready market for them and is most likely selling them to counties that are currently undertaking street lighting projects. These are not lamps that can be used at home, they consume too much power,” said Ngaruiya.
He added that a similar incident had happened along the road leading towards Gatanga after the Blue Post Hotel a while ago.
This trend of vandalism has not only caused financial loss to the county but also worsened the town’s darkness.