A notice limiting the use of elevators at the Nyanza Regional Headquarters building in Kisumu has sparked jitters among the public as they decry hampered access to key government offices housed within the building.
The notice was issued last week by the Lake Basin Commission (LBC) which installed the lifts so as to serve its offices located on the 13th floor of the Prosperity House.
Although the restricted access to the lifts has been in existence, it was partially implemented and the citizenry had been enjoying its use with little difficulty.
Expectant women, the elderly and the physically challenged now have been compelled to use the staircases while those who could not make it opting to walk away or send a willing person.
A security officer has been deployed at the entrance of the lift to ensure that only LBC staff, dignitaries and accredited visitors use the facility.
A Hivisasa writer observed that senior public servants working in the building have been issued special tags that allow them access to the elevators which carry a maximum of six people.
Confirming the restriction, Kisumu County Executive Committee (CeC) member in charge of infrastructure Nerry Achar whose offices are located on the ninth floor said citizens now found it harder to access his office terming the move as unfortunate.
Achar said that the building has a provision for a public elevator system which is yet to be installed but quickly stated that the devolved unit was in talks with the national government to have two lifts fitted.
“We are willing to purchase and install a lift to address this challenge but we also want the national government which owns this building to take up the matter,” said the CEC.
Sources from the LBC intimated that the ban had to be affected as a short term measure to prevent the facility from getting overstretched and overused.
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