Mandera senator demands end of persistent blackouts during Ramadan

Mandera Senator Ali Roba has called on the Standing Committee on Energy to address the persistent power outages plaguing Mandera County, as a result of load shedding.

Load shedding is the deliberate shutdown of electricity supply in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when demand strains capacity.

Roba sought a statement from the committee on the cause of the power outages in Mandera town, noting they last more than 12 hours.

He highlighted the detrimental impact of the extended outages, particularly during the holy month of Ramadhan, when a consistent supply is essential.

“State the cause of ongoing power outages in Mandera town, considering that the majority of the county's residents are observing Ramadhan and rely on consistent electricity supply for food storage and health care services such as vaccine storage,” he said.

He also asked the committee to outline measures undertaken by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) to solve the issue.

“Provide strategies being implemented by Kenya Power for improving communication with customers and addressing complaints, especially on load shedding,” he said.

Additionally, the committee was asked to outline KPLC's initiatives by Kenya Power to enhance power supply in Mander and Wajir towns, including the establishment of infrastructure to support solar power use.

“State the rationale behind the removal of five-megawatt generators from Mandera town, operated by independent power generators, and steps taken by Kenya Power to restore and upgrade the existing generators to supply sufficient power,” he said.

Residents of Mandera have been facing a severe electricity crisis during Ramadan, with several villages going without power for up to 12 hours daily.

KPLC's Mandera manager, Ali Ibrahim Golicha, acknowledged an increased demand for electricity during Ramadan due to more use of cooling equipment like fans and air conditioners.

"Due to the high demand, the engines powering the electricity struggle to handle the excess power, leading to overheating issues," Ali said.

KPLC has been rationing power to manage the situation.

It has faced similar complaints from Garissa residents.