Kenyans were plunged into darkness as several parts of the country experienced electricity outage on Saturday evening.
The extent of the blackout, which was reported at around 7.50pm, was not immediately known, with Kenya Power admitting that parts of the country had lost power and that it was deploying its engineers to deal with the situation and restore normalcy.
"We have lost power supply to parts of the country. Our engineers are working to restore supply to the affected areas." the utility firm said in a statement, adding that it would provide updates on the progress of the restoration and the cause of the blackout.
In an update shared minutes after 10pm, Kenya Power announced that electricity supply to sections of Mt Kenya, Nyanza, Western and North Rift had been restored.
“We are glad to report that sections of Mt Kenya, Nyanza, Western and North Rift are on supply, and that restoration for the remaining parts of the country is progressing well,” the firm said.
There were reports of blackouts in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Vihiga, Makueni, Uasin Gishu, Bomet, Taita Taveta, Kwale, and other parts of the country.
Kenya Power is the country’s sole electricity distributor and the bulk of its power comes from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) which is the main supplier.
The blackout affected the majority of businesses that rely entirely on electricity for their day-to-day operations, as they continue to count losses.
A spot check in Nairobi’s Githurai, Mwihoko, Chokaa, Kayole, Roysambu, and the Eastern Bypass areas shows that most businesses are closing for the day.
Mr Gabriel Kamau, who runs a shop that sells electronics within Githurai said that he had to close due to the power interruptions.
“I did not have an option but to close down my business and head home because of the darkness,” Mr Kamau said.
Mr Timothy Nyang’au said that he had just arrived at his home in Joska, Kasarani Sub-County when the electricity went off.
“I have just arrived home and when I was about to take a shower, the electricity went off. I reached out to some friends in other areas and they told me they were experiencing the same,” Mr Nyang’au said.
The country has experienced a number of nationwide blackouts, including one on August 26 that lasted for more than 20 hours, with supply in some regions going on and off.
In December and November 2022, power outages hit Nairobi, Mount Kenya and coastal regions. The blackouts were also attributed to a system disturbance.
