This archive report was first published on 14 January 2022.
January 14, 2022, Nairobi — A nationwide power outage that left the country in darkness earlier this week has led to the investigation of five senior officials from Kenya Power.
According to DCI Director George Kinoti, the officials under investigation are responsible for securing high-voltage lines and transmission from the national grid.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the basement of the Angle towers of Kenya Power's High Voltage Power Lines in Embakasi had been vandalized, and the cross beams removed or unbolted, leading to the collapse of the towers.
"Preliminary investigations and interrogations of Kenya Power personnel at the scene revealed that the basement of the Angle Towers of Kenya Power High voltage power lines had been vandalized and the cross beams removed/unbolted," Kinoti said.
Investigations have shown that the Angle Towers had been vandalized, and the bracings (tower members) could not support the weight of the conductors, which are very heavy and the tower itself.
"The team also established that the Angle towers caved in, the other towers failed to sustain the weight and also caved in," he said, citing a preliminary report from his detectives.
