Govt sets tough penalties for vandals to protect utilities

In Summary

• Dumping of soil or garbage above or below critical infrastructure will attract a fine of Sh5 million or 10 years imprisonment or both.
• ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Tuesday said the country directly losses Sh2 billion annually from vandalism. He added that government plans to cut the losses to less than Sh500 million in less than two years.

By LILIAN OCHIENG
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The State has gone back to anti vandalism Bill proposed by the Attorney General in 2012 to curb the menacing vice.

The Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, which targets vandalism of major infrastructure will see offenders charged up to Sh10 million.

The new regulations will be enacted in December.

The tough measures follow intense lobbying by utility companies which lose billions of shillings each year to vandals who steal cables and electricity transformers because of the lenient penalties prescribed in the law.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Tuesday said the country directly losses Sh2 billion annually from vandalism. He added that government plans to cut the losses to less than Sh500 million in less than two years.

READ: Manufacturers push for tougher laws against vandalism

Besides power cables and transformers, vandals have cut off communication links leading to disruption of sensitive Internet and data services that many individuals and companies have adopted for their business transactions.

Railway sleepers, road guard rails and manhole covers have also not been spared as theft of metal objects thrives on huge demand for recyclable materials from China.

“Any person convicted of any offence in this Act, where no penalty is provided shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of not less than ten million shillings or to imprisonment for a term of not less than fifteen or to both,” states the bill.

Dumping of soil or garbage above or below critical infrastructure will attract a fine of Sh5 million or 10 years imprisonment or both.

Further, the bill puts in place measures setting up a special unit under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination to fully protect the infrastructure.

The team has the mandate to ensure projects like the Kenya – Uganda crude oil pipeline, Standard Gauge Railway and Fibre optic projects are well maintained.