Criminals cause intentional energy blackouts in Kenya to commit crimes
Kenya: Criminals are holding consumers ransom in Kenya by causing frequent blackouts to scam unsuspecting citizens.
Image source: ESI Africa
Kenya: Criminals are holding consumers ransom in Kenya by causing frequent blackouts to scam unsuspecting citizens.
Kenya Power has revealed that the swindlers often created a short circuit resulting in a blackout before demanding a fee from the affected customers with the promise of restoring the power.
The conmen are so daring that they hang around transformers to ensure that they are on location to destroy them immediately after repairs.
Kenya Power explained that the conmen often tamper with fuses causing the blackouts. “Kenya Power has noted a growing trend of third party interference with our network, by way of maliciously shorting wires to cause blackouts. The perpetrators then solicit money from our customers in order to restore supply.
Residents of Gatanga Constituency in Murang’a County have been some of the most affected following increased cases of transformer vandalism.
The residents complained of a disruption in their social and economic activities with increased insecurity at night and a growing inability to charge their phones for mobile money transactions.
In recent months, the monopolistic power distributor has seen major changes that have shaken-up the leadership and seen the cost of power reduce significantly.
In January 2022, the country experienced a nationwide blackout after the collapse of a tower at the Kiambere – Embakasi power line. It was later established that the blackout was work of sabotage involving some high-ranking officials within the company in protest of the changes made at the helm.
Source: ESI Africa