A building in Arahuka, Subukia, Nakuru County that was built as the Kipngochoch police post but has remained unoccupied for the last 18 years.
In its grandeur, the Kipngochoch police post stands as a symbol of what could have been, a beacon of hope in the fight against rampant insecurity, but it has been abandoned since its completion 18 years ago.
The building joins a list of government projects that have been initiated and millions of taxpayers' money spent, but now lie idle.
The Sh3.14 million facility was built in Arahuka village, Subukia, Nakuru County, in early 2006 to improve security in the area after residents complained of a surge in crime.
The living quarters built for officers to serve at the Kipngochoch police post in Arahuka, Subukia, Nakuru County. The police post has remained unoccupied for the last 18 years.
Its construction was greeted with optimism and its completion marked a new chapter, or so the villagers thought.
The modern facility includes a reception area, holding cells, offices and four units that were supposed to provide accommodation for the officers assigned to work there.
But the residents' interviews with Nation.Africa painted a different picture, saying they had envisioned a future where their security concerns would be addressed and the rule of law would prevail.
Sadly, years later, that vision has yet to be realised.
Since its completion, the facility has neither been handed over to the police nor occupied, leaving it vulnerable to vandalism and looting.
Its empty corridors, locked doors and discoloured paint telling the story of neglect. Weeds have crept into the premises and the once promising building now shows clear signs of decay.
Kimani Mbugua, a resident of Arahuka Village in Subukia, Nakuru County, speaks to the media on December 11, 2024, about the abandoned Kipngochoch police post.
According to Mr Kimani Mbugua, the residents held a meeting with local leaders at the time and requested that a police station be built in the area.
He said that as a community, they donated two acres of land to the then Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which was tasked with funding the project to serve Arahuka and Kipngochoch villages.
The police post was built on one and a half acres of the land, while the remaining half was used to house the office of the assistant chief, who has been serving the residents ever since.
“I was contracted to paint the whole building in 2006 but since then, we have been asking the government to deploy police officers and we have never seen anyone. There was a time we had a meeting and a police boss told us there was no need to deploy officers since we only report petty crimes. But since then, we have witnessed mysterious murders,” Mr Mbugua said.
He added that they are now forced to walk more than five kilometres in search of services they could have received if the facility was operational.
If a crime occurs in the community, they have to report it to the Bahati police station, which is far away. But some residents choose not to report crimes at all.
According to Mr Mbugua, insecurity is on the rise in the area and as a community they have taken it upon themselves to protect their property.
“The insecurity is high. People are losing livestock and the facility is not helping us. There are officers' units but the doors have since been stolen and the windows are broken. We do not know who holds the title. As residents, we feel like they could have just constructed a hospital to benefit us instead of building this and later abandoning it,” he said.
Michael Kinyanjui, a resident of Arahuka Village in Subukia, Nakuru County, speaks to the media on December 11, 2024, about the abandoned Kipngochoch police post.
Another resident, Michael Kinyanjui, said, “Youths are selling drugs to our young children openly because they know no one will arrest them. The Assistant Chief has been helping us, but now he is overwhelmed.”
Mr Kinyanjui added that for years the facility had been used as a campaign tool, with aspirants promising to make it operational once elected.
“We have had meetings whenever a new leader is elected but that has never borne fruit. They should just turn it into a dispensary that will help us instead of letting it lie idle,” he lamented.
Esther Njeri said crime in the area had risen to alarming levels in recent years, with thefts, burglaries and even violent crimes on the rise.
She recalled a recent incident when thieves broke into her neighbour's house and made off with chickens and goats.
“Traders are living in fear of robbers targeting their businesses. We live in fear, which is affecting our quality of life and economic productivity. Farmers are hesitant to invest in livestock and traders keep minimal stock,” she said.
The Kipngochoch police post building in Arahuka, Subukia, Nakuru County that has remained unoccupied for the last 18 years.
Former Subukia MP Nelson Gaichuhia recalled that after acquiring the land, they approached the OCPD to allow them to build a police post and provide specifications for the structure.
He said it took time to complete the project because the CDF allocation was too small and the project had to be completed bit by bit.
“We had requested the OCPD to provide a few police officers, even from Bahati police station, and most of them were interested because the housing was nice. Then came a change of leadership, and my time was up. I let the new leaders finish the task, but since then, it has never been operationalised,” Mr Gaichuhia said.
