Kenya Power Reacts to Claims of Intentional Blackout at Church Attended by Gachagua
A power outage in Nyeri County on Sunday, March 23, during former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s church visit, has triggered heated debate among Kenyans.
Controversy Surrounding the Blackout
The disruption occurred at ACK St. Peter’s Cathedral, where the Venerable Canon Gerald Mwangi Muriithi was being consecrated and enthroned as the 3rd Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Mt. Kenya West. Many Kenyans took to social media, questioning whether the power cut was politically motivated.
“I’m hearing Kenya Power decided to switch off lights in the whole of Nyeri town today because Riggy G is attending a church service at ACK St Peter’s Cathedral. Nyeri people, can you confirm this, please? Do you have electricity?” read an X post that fueled speculation.
Kenya Power Defends the Outage
In response, Kenya Power dismissed claims of political interference, clarifying that the blackout was part of a scheduled maintenance affecting various areas, including Mt. Kenya, Karatina, Nyeri, Mweiga, Tetu, Narumoru, Mukurweini, State Lodge, and Ragati.
“Good afternoon sir, kindly note that various parts of Nyeri County and its environs were scheduled for planned maintenance today, March 23, as circulated on our platforms. This is to ensure the provision of continuous and reliable power,” Kenya Power stated.
Despite this explanation, online debates continued, with some citizens alleging targeted disruption against Gachagua, while others defended the electricity provider’s maintenance protocols.
Public Reactions and Social Media Uproar
The outage stirred further controversy as social media users expressed frustration. Some questioned whether the timing was coincidental or deliberate.
“There is no power in Nyeri County because, apparently, Rigathi Gachagua is attending a church service there. So you are punishing people because you have a problem with an individual? Pettiness,” one user commented.
Kenya Power later issued another statement acknowledging concerns: “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Customer relations have not forgotten about you; it was not our intention.”
Despite efforts to clarify the situation, speculation over the incident remains high, with divided opinions on whether the outage was purely technical or had underlying political motives.
In Other News: Two Kenyan Politicians Die in Fatal Road Accident in Uganda
Kenya Power Reacts to Claims of Intentional Blackout at Church Attended by Gachagua
