By Dickens Wasonga.
KPLC has lost over Shs.12 million from theft of electric poles and transformer vandalism in Western Kenya region in the last one month.
Poles that KPLC security officers held at Lolwe Estate in Kisumu if already loaded in a hired truck belonging to Kajulu holdings by unknown persons.
Addressing the media at the Kenya Power and Lightning Company offices in Kisumu, Ronald Musebe, the company’s security chief in the region attributed the huge loss to current shortage of the poles in the country.
He said the vandals have been taking advantage of the scarcity of the posts in the country to steal the already purchased ones by the company and scratch their marks so that they resupply them to KPLC.
Musebe was speaking as he displayed thirty one poles belonging to their company that they recovered last Friday at Kisumu’s Lolwe estate, already loaded in a truck by unknown persons.
“They had already loaded in a hired truck thirty one poles out of the thirty four that our company had gathered at the estate for use,” said Musebe.
He said the truck belonging to Kajulu holdings in Kisumu had been hired by one Stephen Kamau from Nakuru, whom they however did not manage to arrest.
“We only managed to arrest the driver, but our officers are pursuing others in connection to the theft,” he added.
He pointed out that the KPLC marks on the poles had already been scraped with a file in order to kill evidence when resupplying them to the company.
He added that the ten loaders who were also hired to be paid Shs. 8,000 for the job also managed to escape.
Musebe mentioned that with the arrest of the truck, it puts the figure of vehicles held in Kisumu alone loaded with their company’s poles to four.
“In the last one month alone we have arrested five vehicles in Kisumu and Siaya alone, four in Kisumu and one in Siaya,” he added.
He lamented that with each pole costing Shs. 11,000, the rampant theft is likely to pose a great loss to the company.
Musebe also cited rampant theft of copper wires at Rabuor in Kisumu.
He called on the public to volunteer any information to the company incase they come across none KPLC staff handling the company’s equipment.
Two Weeks ago, five people, including a lady suspected to have been frequently involved in transformer vandalism in the area, were arrested at Nyamasaria area in Kisumu.
Western Kenya regional KPLC manager Eng. Jared Otieno said the company has lost Shs. 10 million in the last one month due to transformer vandalism alone in the region.
He said KPLC recorded a loss of twenty transformers to vandals in the region and attributed it to inadequate security personnel manning the equipment.
He cited Webuye, Vihiga, Kakamega, Oyugis, Kisii and Kisumu as some of the areas in the region where transformer vandalism is rampant.
Ends…
Well, this is matter that require thorough investigations. We have had cases where transformers are stolen and, I believe, this cannot be the work of any other ordinary citizen. As I write this, the transformer that serves my home, the Nyagowa school, church and the entire environ was stolen last month. As KPLC has noted, this is not the first case of theft reported in this area. The transformer that was meant for the Kwoyo area was stolen immediately it was installed dampening the excitements of the area residents who at last thought darkness would now be a thing of the past. The question many are asking, who is behind this unti-development scheme? Are they the same people from KPLC? I think we need to be more vigilant in our areas because this is one example where the locals cannot blame the government for non-performance when you sabotage government’s efforts to provide electricity in the rural regions. For our politicians who are quick to visit funeral for politicking, here is a chance for you to provide education to your lot. Otherwise, we are going to plunge deep into the sea without re-bouncing!
Otieno Mbare
Mr. Mbare, please can you share with me exactly the price: you and Nyagowa School paid KPL for this transformer and the number of poles/prices that were used to deliver electricity to your sites. I am in the process of installing electricity to site which is within six hundred meter range but the price that have been quoted is in the millions of Kenya shillings…..let me know if you had to pay millions of shillings to get your current electrical service from KPL!.
What is the buying price for new electric poles? What are the dimensions? I believe I can supply poles to KPLC if they will pay for them on the spot and ship them to Kenya themselves. Who can I contact to make the necessary arrangement?
Owegi.
Sengerema, Tz.
Mr. Brown, I had my home fixed in 2009. My understanding is that anyone living within 600 meters radius should not pay more than Kshs 50,000. This price includes everything (poles, tranformer, etc). The school also paid the same amount so as the church. However, this tranformer serves everyone within the 600m I have mentioned. I hope this helps!
Great many thanks Dr. Mbare… will now ask KPL to review their original quote with this information. Many blessings to you and your family for sharing this information.
I ‘ll now demand my money back if kplc staff at kisii continue to demand for bribe to complete processing my application.solar panel can do.bye.
Mr. Zachary…what a coincidence!!!!!!!!!!. It is the same Kisii KPLC office that has quoted my organization one million K.sh. to connect the power to a site that at most is 600 meters from their existing lines. IS THIS NORMAL PRICE OR BRIBERY SHAKE DOWN KENYA STYLE???????????. Do you know who I can talk to if they keep insisting with this insane price demand????. At this time I am not ready or willing to entertain any bribery demand because I will be still paying monthly electric service if they had to connect our site to their grid. Keep me posted on how your app. issue turns out.
KPLC should involve the general public in their fight against the vice. they should also enhance education on the pros n cons of poles and transformer vandalism.
Am a farmer, my trees are almost ready for harvest for poles, I would like to inquire the current price per pole. Thanks
my house in western,vihiga district,Banja location goibei village was vandalized, thieves uprooted kplc meter and cut cable from the transformer,please assist me get my electricity back. i leave in Mombasa, plis assist, jumba