cctv camera

The Standard Digital Nov 28, 2012

Installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in sections of Nairobi’s Central Business District can be a gamechanger in how built-up urban centres tackle issues like crime, crowd control, terrorism, traffic gridlocks and general security issues.

If successful it can be adopted by other major towns, including Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru, and Eldoret.

Studies by the World Bank show that by 2030, most people in sub-Saharan Africa will be living in cities.

This will push up levels of crime and traffic congestion, calling for local authorities to adopt more innovative monitoring systems early on to keep pace.

In Nairobi the most urgent problem is crime and it is hoped that the new cameras will aid the police in fighting this.

However, such an innovation works even better when there is a national crime database. Establishment of the latter is included in the security component of projects under Vision 2030 Secretariat.

A national crime database would enable the police and other security agencies to quickly sieve through electronic records and match suspects with actual names.

This would free up police resources to deal with other equally pressing matters, including traffic management and crime prevention.

Traffic control is important and surely the next step is to install speed cameras on major roads leading into and out of the city, in addition to CCTV cameras. This includes Uhuru Highway part of Mombasa Road and the Thika Superhighway.

The big question

The speed cameras would capture drivers breaking speed limits and also those overlapping on pavements and through petrol stations.

The downside of all this, for corrupt police officers, is that they would have to be more discreet in how they shake down drivers for bribes over various traffic offences, real or contrived.

The big question of course, is how the Government will ensure the cameras are protected from vandalism, after seeing the havoc wrought on the new Thika Superhighway.