Marsabit plunged into darkness after generators broke down

Marsabit town and its environs have been plunged into a blackout after the electricity generators serving them broke down causing a power outage in the town and its environs. 

"We regret to inform our customers in Marsabit that the electricity generators serving them broke this evening causing a power outage affecting the town and its environs," reads a statement released on Thursday.

Kenya Power however noted that repairs have already started on the faulty generators to restore the power supply as soon as possible.

"We are also sourcing for another generator to boost capacity at the Marsabit Power Station," the statement read.

Last month, a similar incident happened last month where hundreds of residents, offices, and businesses have been starved of electricity.

This prompted a day-long demonstration in the town by residents over the persistent power outages.

The peaceful demonstrators led by MCAs and local leaders, appealed to President William Ruto to personally address the problem saying their attempts to have the matter solved have failed to bear fruits.

The protesters also handed a written protest statement to the Marsabit county commissioner and the KPLC management, complaining of business losses and a rise in crime.

They wanted the government to connect them to the national grid.

Electricity supplied by KPLC in Marsabit save for the border town of Moyale which is supplied on the grid by power imported from Ethiopia, is largely off-grid.

The generators, some reportedly installed more than three decades ago, are reportedly unserviceable and can hardly cope with the power demand for a population of 70,000 plus people in the fast-growing town.   

Marsabit is a busy transit town following the completion of the tarmacking of the LAPSPET corridor linked to the Moyale –Isiolo highway.