The business community in Ogembo Market in Gucha Sub-County, Kisii County, on Monday morning staged a demonstration to protest a prolonged power outage that has severely disrupted operations in the area.
The traders marched to the Ogembo Municipal Offices before proceeding to the Deputy County Commissioner’s (DCC) offices, where they presented their grievances. They cited significant financial losses and stalled business activities due to the lack of electricity, and called on the relevant authorities to urgently intervene and restore power to the market.
According to the traders, the market has been without electricity for over three weeks, despite multiple reports and complaints lodged with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). They expressed frustration over what they described as a lack of response and inaction from the power company.
The traders further alleged that the transformer supplying electricity to the area was taken away by KPLC for repairs more than three weeks ago, but has not been returned or replaced, leaving businesses operating in darkness.
The prolonged outage has affected a wide range of enterprises, particularly those reliant on electricity, including retail shops, salons, butcheries, and cyber cafés.
Addressing the demonstrators, Gucha Deputy County Commissioner Esther Kung’u assured them that the matter would be handled with utmost urgency. She pledged to engage the relevant institutions to ensure a swift resolution and restoration of power to the affected market.
The traders, however, warned that continued delays could further cripple their livelihoods and urged authorities to treat the issue as a priority.
By Misheba Alfred
