A barber based in the Kona Mbuta Manyatta area in Kisumu was electrocuted on Tuesday evening after ascending an electricity pole belonging to Kenya Power.
The man was reportedly fixing an electric connection after a prolonged power outage in the area.
According to residents, the man was attempting to transfer electricity to an active power cable when he encountered a live line that led to his electrocution.
Residents confirmed that the barber intended to fix the blackout which had affected operations earlier during the day.
The incident which occurred at around 9 pm left the residents shocked.
"He was yesterday electrocuted to death in Kona Mbuta Manyatta near Kosawo Hall. He climbed the electric pole to try and fix his connection after a power outage. Sad. He was working as a barber and partly as an electrician," an acquaintance shared on Facebook, alongside photos of the deceased repairing sockets.
Law enforcement officers and Kenya Power officials were said to have arrived at the scene an hour later. The team retrieved the body and moved it to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
Adding on to the matter, residents stated that cases of members of the public fixing electrical connections without approval were common owing to delays by Kenya Power.
“These are common practices here and I have done it severally because if you wait for Kenya Power you will wait forever,” confessed one of the residents.
However, speaking to journalists, the area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Johnston Oketch, cautioned the residents from bypassing Kenya Power officials to fix electricity.
“This is a sad death and “we’re reminded to always stick to our levels; power lines are very sensitive, and we should keep off at all times,” Oketch remarked.
Kenya Power has not yet issued a statement on the case.
