Locals from Mbolori Town in Siaya County on Wednesday held peaceful protests over a four-month blackout in the region.
The residents appealed to Kenya Power to restore power in the region remarking that their businesses had suffered since most depended on electricity.
They also complained that insecurity cases had surged in the region as thieves were taking advantage of darkness to loot.
“There is nothing that has been going on now for months. We cannot operate without electricity and beg Kenya Power to come to our aid,” one of the residents begged.
Another resident added that the town had a self-imposed curfew of 7 p.m. due to the rampant insecurity in the area.
Taking advantage of the lack of lighting in the region, thieves have been roaming free in the town and breaking into shops according to local residents.
According to the locals, even before the power was cut four months ago, there were frequent blackouts.
“We would get power for a month and then Kenya Power would take the transformer leaving us in darkness,” one resident narrated.
One of the affected businesspeople in the region revealed that Kenya Power in the past complained about criminals tampering with the transformer.
Mbolori traders revealed that Kenya Power officials have been making trips to the region to assess the situation but never engaged the locals on when the region would get power.
The protests in Siaya come two days after residents from Kabuku Ward in Kiambu County complained of a 2-month blackout.
The locals complained that the transformer allocated in the region was inadequate as the population had grown exponentially.
