Kenya Power has taken note of demonstrations by Kenyatta University students along the Thika Superhighway and wishes to state the following:
Late last year, a 200kVA transformer serving Kiwanja area in Roysambu failed. At the time, the Company did not have similar units in its stores. Therefore, to mitigate a power outage in
the area, a bigger capacity transformer (315kVA) was temporarily deployed to the affected site while an appropriate replacement was being sought.
The area is home to hostels and other domestic establishments where some students from Kenyatta University reside, among other residents.
An ideal transformer with the capacity to serve the Kiwanja area (200kVA) was secured and dispatched last week, on Thursday, 23rd January, 2024 for installation.
The team was under instruction to install the new transformer and recover the 315kVA unit that had been installed as a stop gap measure.
The recovery of the 315kVA transformer, whose capacity is bigger than the demand in the affected area, is in line with the Company’s goal to ensure that resources are utilized optimally.
As soon as the team commenced disconnection of the 315kVA transformer to facilitate the swap, locals confronted them by throwing stones and injuring a number of staff and damaging the truck that had ferried the team and the new transformer to site. The truck’s hydraulic system was damaged, wheels punctured, and the windscreen was smashed.
The staff managed to escape after being beaten and harassed. They are receiving medical attention while the truck has been moved to the workshop for repairs.
Kenya Power is committed to provide safe and adequate power supply to all its customers.
Equally, the Company is committed to upholding the safety of all its staff as they strive to ensure that electricity is available to all customers. Therefore, the Company does not condone any form of violence against its staff.
The Company is working with the relevant security agencies to resolve the challenges in Kiwanja in a bid to restore power supply within the earliest opportunity.
We call on the public to collaborate with us as we continue to power people for better lives.