By S, KNA
Residents of Nyandiwa trading centre in Suba South sub-county have raised concerned over a prolonged electricity blackout that has persisted for the past six months, thus crippling the local economy.
The residents, particularly traders and businessmen, accused Kenya Power Company for removing a transformer from the area and failing to reinstall it despite repeated promises.
Speaking during a public demonstration, Edwin Owino, a resident said they have waited for action from the power company in vain, adding that the situation has escalated insecurity and worsened livelihoods in the fishing-dependent community.
“Our transformer was taken, and since then we have been in darkness. Leaders come, promise meetings and solutions, but nothing happens,” Owino said, calling on the county and national governments to intervene urgently.
Muhammed Ahmed, a business man in the town said lack of electricity has severely affected fish handling and storage, leading to massive losses.
He explained that fish is highly perishable and relies on cold storage facilities powered by electricity.
“We preserve fish using cold rooms and ice plants, but since power went off everything stopped. We transport fish to Nairobi and factories using improvised methods, but they are rejected for being spoiled,” said Ahmed. “The losses are huge, and fishermen are demoralized to go to the lake because you cannot fish without ice.”
The residents said the shutdown of ice plants has driven up the cost of ice from Sh800 to Sh2,500 per block, forcing traders to either operate at a loss or shut down completely.
As a result, many families are struggling to meet basic needs, with women and children bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.
Phoebe Adiza, a resident, noted that the blackout has also exposed the area to rising crime. “Without electricity, insecurity has increased along this road. Darkness is not safe, and on top of that, fish continue to rot,” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Peter Obiero, Secretary Sare Beach Management Unit said the blackout has paralyzed economic activities across the town.
“We depend on fishing as our backbone. Without electricity, there is no ice, no cold storage, and no security,” Obiero said.
“Generators are expensive to run and maintain, and that cost is passed to consumers,” he added.
Obiero questioned how the government’s economic ambitions could be achieved without reliable power. “Our leaders talk about transforming the economy and competing globally, but how do we do that without electricity?” he posed.
He further decried that nearly all services in the town have stalled. “We cannot refrigerate drinks, salons cannot operate, welders are idle, hotels are struggling, and people fear moving at night due to insecurity,” he said.
The residents are now appealing to both the national and county governments to step in and help restore electricity by reinstalling the transformer.
As protests continue, the Nyandiwa business community warns that without swift intervention, the economic and social situation in the lakeside town will continue to deteriorate.