- The country was plunged into nationwide darkness when four pylons tumbled down in Embakasi, Nairobi after vandals reportedly tampered with critical parts of the installations.
- A scheme to vandalise more pylons in Naivasha that could have resulted in weeks of blackout was thwarted by security intelligence.
Image: CYRUS OMBATI
Encroachers on land reserved for power transmission lines have been ordered to move out in 30 days or risk ruthless government eviction.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i on Thursday warned the government will not entertain any encroachers as it moves to secure critical infrastructure.
County commissioners have been directed to coordinate the evictions alongside other grassroots national government administrators in a humane manner but with necessary force if need be.
Addressing regional and country commissioners, county police commanders and senior managers of the Kenya Power company and other energy parastatals, Matiang'i said the government was keen to ensure nationwide outages, blamed on sabotage and vandalism that was witnessed early this month, do not recur.
"We must work together to be a step or two ahead of these criminals. This is not about the Ministry of Interior or that of Energy but safety of our people. Working hand in hand will ensure we deliver secure transmission and that our people have access to safe energy,” Matiang’i said.
The country was plunged into nationwide darkness when four pylons tumbled in Embakasi, Nairobi after vandals reportedly tampered with critical parts of the installations.
A scheme to vandalise more pylons in Naivasha that could have resulted in weeks of blackout was thwarted by security intelligence.
The incidences drew attention to the dangers posed by high-voltage pylons snaking through areas where designated wayleaves have been encroached by densely populated dwellings.
Depending on load and expansion plans, wayleaves should be between 60 and 120 meters on either side of the transmission line.
The administrators were also tasked with the enforcement of the ban on the trade on scrap metal that was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta last week, and that is intended to discourage vandalism of critical infrastructure by denying the material a ready market.
They will be required to develop a database of all scrap metal dealers in their counties and verify the registration and compliance status of the businesses.
“We want to put order in this madness. We will do so with a measure of ruthlessness,” the CS said.
Under the new arrangement, county commissioners working with area commanders of Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit, energy sector managers will be required to map out energy installations in their jurisdictions and file bi-monthly reports on their security status.
The CS said the apparent sabotage of Kenya Power installations amounted to terrorism and the undermining of the country’s economy, adding that the government will borrow from previous successes in adopting an all-of-government approach to secure important investments.
Energy CS Monica Juma who was also present at the meeting at the Kenya School of Government, Kabete said repairing the latest vandalism was costly with the government spending at least Sh246 million in material and labour, while the cost of lost business and damages is estimated to run into billions of shillings.
“The effects on the economy have been colossal. If the Naivasha challenge had not been averted, we would have seen our country plunge to darkness for three to four weeks,” added the CS.
The Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai said more officers from CIPU will be deployed to protect energy installations.
The meeting was also attended by Energy PS Maj Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa, DIGs Noor Gabow and Edward Mbugua and the chairpersons and managing directors of Kenya Power and KETRACO.
So far three managers at Kenya Power have been charged in court with terrorism and negligence over the incident in Nairobi.
-Edited by SKanyara