Power transformer vandals cause heavy losses in Nyandarua town

Simon Mugi teaches mechanics at Rurii Vocational Training Centre where he is also the assistant manager.

His classes have lately been unusually large. The additional students are not interested in learning about car parts and how they work. Their pursuits are welding, ICT, carpentry and joinery, hair design and beauty therapy.

They are in Mugi's class to pass time, courtesy of the vandals of electricity transformers in Rurii town and other Ol Kalou neighbourhood towns.

These students' courses heavily depend on electricity, unlike mechanics. To kill time and boredom, they troop into Mugi's workshop.

Transformer vandals struck on Sunday night as Harambee Stars played Algeria during the Afcon games in Cairo, Egypt. Their target was the 315KVA transformer in Rurii town. The region was plunged into total darkness.

The transformer was found on the ground on Monday morning. 

“Learning has been paralysed in some departments because our transformer was stolen during the night. We are also concerned about security, given that we have equipment worth millions of shillings donated to us by both the national and county governments," Mugi says. 

Mixed boarding school affected

About 200 metres away, a backup generator at Nyandarua High School in the upper ridge of Rurii town roars to life.

Nyandarua Central Director of Education James Wahome says the national school has 737 students. People in the neighbourhood of the mixed boarding school are concerned about what would happen if, by a twist of fate, the generator fails or breaks down.

In Rurii town, the sounds of posho mills and welding machines are dead. The salons and barber shops are idle. The community borehole that serves over a thousand people is deserted. Fresh milk vendors who rely on refrigerators to preserve their stock are a worried lot.

In the streets, people are talking in low tones. The entire community is affected.

Isaac Muranga, the Rurii Business Community Association chairman, told the Star that the business community has been hit hard by transformer vandalism. There are 500 traders in Rurii town who rely on electricity.

Muranga fears that people will start flocking hospitals with abdominal problems after consuming dirty water now that the borehole which supplies them with clean water is not operational. It serves over 1,000 people.

“In three days’ time, people will flock hospitals with abdominal problems after consuming dirty water." 

Muranga, who operates a hotel, said he spends 20 jerricans of water a day. He is forced to buy clean water at Sh20 per jerrican.

He says incidents of theft and general insecurity are on the rise in Rurii. He points fingers at law enforcement agencies whom he accuses of laxity.

“We wonder how this could have happened (vandalism) in a town centre in the presence of armed police officers," he says. 

Not Kenya Power property 

Human rights activist and former Rurii MCA Wahome Kamoche called on the police to increase patrols to ensure lives and property are safe. He said Kenya Power should be investigated as only experienced people can vandalise transformers.

He said KP should computerise all transformers as this will make it easy to detect when the vandals strike and make it possible for them to be caught in action. 

Nyandarua KP business manager Joseph Kariuki told the Star by phone on Monday it remained a mystery how a 315KVA transformer can be vandalised.

He absolved KP of blame, saying that a transformer becomes community property after it is installed and it is incumbent upon the beneficiary community, local leaders and administrators to ensure its safety.

“I think you need to question the administration, the politicians and leaders in general," he said.

Kariuki said the rate of power transformer vandalism in Nyandarua is alarming, especially in Ol Joro Orok. In the last three months, five transformers worth Sh2.5 million have been vandalised in Ol Joro Orok. The Rurii one, which is sixth during this period is worth Sh800,000.

Apart from inconvenience to the community, the power company loses millions in revenue. While the KP official could not give a precise figure of the loss, he estimated the loss at Sh5 million after the vandalisation of the Rurii transformer given that it serves an entire town, a national high school among other government facilities.

“It is unfortunate that we also incur a lot of costs for replacement and investigations."

Kariuki also blamed the Judiciary for "aiding this crime". He said when the KP security team arrests and takes the culprits to court, they are “released on bond to come and continue with the business. The way they have been moving from place to place and within towns, they are guys full of impunity," he said. 

He said the Rurii town transformer will be replaced in a week’s time.

Edited by R.Wamochie