This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On October 14, 2019, a tragic incident occurred in Athi River, Kenya, where a middle-aged man lost his life while on a suicidal mission to vandalize high voltage KPLC cables.
The victim, who was part of a group of six accomplices, targeted new high-tension cables being installed along Mombasa road as part of the Mombasa dual carriage highway construction project.
Kenya Power officers had connected the cables to live wires as a security measure to prevent vandalism, which has been a recurring issue in the area.
According to Kenya Power Region Coordinator Cyrus Njenga, the incident highlights the growing problem of cable vandalism, which has resulted in significant losses for the company.
Just last week, KPLC reported losing cables worth Sh10 million in similar incidents in Athi River.
The deceased body was taken to the Machakos Level Five Mortuary.
Kenya Power has condemned the incident and urged the public to report any cases of vandalism to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
