Residents of Kiminini Township have welcomed a move by the county government in partnership with development partners to set up a multi-million shillings Fire Station to help in response to related emergencies.
The proposed project to be funded by the World Bank and the County Government through the Kenya Devolution Support Program (KDSP 2) is poised to be of major significance to the rapid growing economic hub.
In a screening exercise against Social and Environmental impacts that could result during implementation, the project met the required threshold, conforming to social and environmental needs.
Where will Kiminini fire station be built?
The proposed site for the fire station project is Kiminini Sub County Administrator’s Offices Compound, less than 200 meters from the Kiminini – Kitale tarmac road and just a stone’s throw away from the heart of the township.
Members of the public responded to relevant questions by the environmental and social safeguards provided in the respective checklists, giving a green light to the proposed multimillion project.
However, the project will further be subjected to a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) whose approval is made by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) prior to implementation.
“For quite a long time, we have suffered incidences of fire and other disasters for lack of a speedy response occasioned by the long distance from the Kitale fire station,” noted Denis Juma, a resident of Kiminini.
The KISIP 2 program Social Safeguard Officer Florence Anyango affirmed residents that the project will kick off if it meets the threshold and upon availing of funds.
The project team members including the Grievance Redress Mechanim (GRM) Officer Enock Nyaroo, Sub County Administrator Florence Chemayiek, County Director of Social Services Damiel Kipkochoi and the Director of Fire Services Isaiah Marori among others took part in the screening exercise.
