The Kenya Power plans to increase surveillance on vulnerable transformers and enhance coordination with community policing authorities.
This is a resolution that has been arrived at after the number of cases of their property’s vandalism has increased in the recent past.
In the coastal region of Mombasa and Kilifi, for example, there has been an unprecedented surge in the number of Kenya Power reformers that have been vandalized – something that the officials have attributed to the recent curfew that was in place, and drug addiction.
In Mombasa County, for example, many villagers in Kengeleni, Kongowea (Nyali), Majengo, Tononoka Stadium, Tononoka Hall (Mvita), Chaani, and Changamwe have been in blackout for a number of days now. Coast regional manager Hicks Waswa confirmed that the number of transformers that were vandalized on Tuesday alone was seven in number, which left at least 1,600 customers without the essential commodity.
That is the main challenge to the smooth flow of electricity in those areas, and he urged the people to be vigilant to help avert the challenge. “We wake up in the morning and we find we have lost supply. Over the weekend (October 16-17) we had another 11 transformers whose fuses were stolen. Daily, we have an average of at least three to four fuses stolen for the last two months. I hope this lifting of the curfew will be beneficial, as most of these cases happened during curfew hours.” Waswa said.
Mr. Waswa said that the main problem they are facing is not even the replacement of the fuses, nor is it the replacement of destroyed parts; the main problem that they are concerned with is that their customers would continue to stay in the dark when such thefts occur.
“The value of one fuse may not be much as we have at least nine fuses in a transformer. The cost of replacement may be insignificant but we are worried about the 200 or so consumers who are connected to a transformer. This is the most inconveniencing,” he explained.
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