Fallen Electricity Poles. Photo Courtesy//Roro Media
Residents of Barkasen, Kampi ya Moto, and neighboring areas within Rongai Constituency in Nakuru County, have been left in darkness for more than three days after eight electricity distribution poles collapsed on Tuesday, April 15th. The incident has severely disrupted daily household activities and business operations, with parents expressing concern over the safety of their children, who are forced to pass near the fallen poles lying across the roads.
The situation which occurred on Tuesday has significantly affected local businesses, public safety, and transportation. According to Roro Media Reporter, the strong winds led to the falling of 8 poles with wires, with others lying across the road.
According to local sources, the transformer serving the area was removed by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) shortly after the incident, and has yet to be reinstalled or replaced. Reportedly, they did not provide a timeline for power reconnection
“We’ve had no electricity for three days – today is the fourth. I have no lighting at home, and my online work has been heavily disrupted. I’ve had to travel to another neighborhood just to access power. Even phone communication has become very difficult,” said Elly Kibeu who is a resident.
He also voiced his worries about the danger posed by the live wires scattered along the roads, especially to children.
“Those wires lying on the road are extremely dangerous for children’s safety, they could cause fatalities. That’s why I’m appealing to Kenya Power to urgently intervene and fix the situation,” he added.
This incident comes at a time when heavy rains continue to fall across various parts of the country, contributing to the collapse of trees and electricity poles. A report by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) shows that in the year ending June 2024, the average duration of power outages rose to 10.14 hours per month, compared to 8.37 hours the previous year, a clear indication of growing challenges within the country’s power distribution system.
The blackout has also raised concerns about security, with parts of the affected areas now more vulnerable to theft and insecurity at night due to the lack of street lighting and security systems.
Residents have expressed challenges navigating roads where fallen poles remain uncleared, while schools and hospitals in the vicinity are also feeling the effects of the prolonged outage.
Residents of Rongai are now calling on Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) to take immediate action to restore electricity services and ensure the safety of the public, especially children who are forced to use roads affected by the fallen poles.
