The Nairobi City County government will spend Sh240 million to construct new fire stations in Gikomba and Kangemi areas.
A further Sh402.5 million will be used to equip existing fire stations to deal with perennial fires that have ravaged households and businesses, according to the budget statement.
The Disaster Management and Coordination sector in the Governor Johnson Sakaja-led administration has been allocated Sh722.5 million with Sh642.5 million spent on development while Sh130 million is the recurrent expenditure in the FY2023/24 that begins in July this year.
The estimates are contained in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper for the FY2023/2024 that has been tabled before the county assembly by the chairperson of the Budget Committee Wilfred Odalo who is also the Mabatini MCA.
The allocation marks a big increase from the current financial year where the allocation for the sector was capped at Sh275 million.
The document states that the increase in allocation was part of the strategy by the county to deal with disasters.
“The committee justified that the additional construction of Kangemi fire station would help deal with the fire disasters. Further, the additional projects would ensure that the existing fire stations are adequately equipped to mitigate disasters,” read the document.
The county government will also establish community emergency response centres in the five boroughs and the different county wards for Sh12.5 million and upgrading of an Emergency Operation Centre for Sh50 million.
According to Mr Odalo, the allocation for the different county sectors is in line with Mr Sakaja’s manifesto which has promised to create a city of order.
“We have aligned ourselves with Mr Sakaja’s manifesto because as the members of the assembly, we have seen that he means well for the Nairobi residents. We realised that fire is rampant and we have allocated funds for the fire stations and provision of facilities in slums such as Mathare and other areas,” Mr Odalo said.
To improve disaster response, the county has set aside a budget of Sh180 million for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and Sh60 million for the purchase of three Advanced Life Support Ambulances.
City Hall will also spend Sh5 million on the amendment and operationalisation of the Disaster Management Act of 2015.
The county government has been grappling with the infernos with the Gikomba market being the most affected market.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja had promised to set up fire stations and improve access roads as a way of dealing with the menace.
He had also promised to ensure that the land where the Gikomba market lies is surveyed and a title deed issued as he accused unscrupulous individuals of grabbing the land.
