The Kenya Power has revealed that it is trying to curb a new surge of transformer vandalism in the Coast region.
According to the electricity distributor, drug addicts have been targeting transformer fuses to steal magnesium oxide.
The suspects are said to use magnesium oxide which is a white substance that has hallucinatory effects that make them 'get high'. The drug abusers reportedly mix the white substance with tobacco or cocaine to experience a stronger hallucination effect.
“We have recorded 20 incidents of transformer-fuses vandalism in some parts of Mvita, Mishomoroni, Bombolulu, Changamwe and Nyali areas within Mombasa County'" Hezekiah Mwalala, Kenya Power's Regional manager for Coast, quoted by the Star.
The theft has contributed to power shortages and poor quality of electricity in the country.
In a bid to manage the crisis, Kenya Power has increased surveillance in the affected areas besides placing transformers above high voltage lines.
In the last four months, about 174 people have been arrested countrywide with regard to transformer vandalism and theft.
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