Nairobi police stations plunged into darkness over millions in unpaid electricity bills

Several police stations across Nairobi are operating without electricity and water, raising concerns over service delivery even as the Ministry of Interior and the National Police Service (NPS) push ahead with plans to digitise policing services.

Major police stations in the capital have been without power and running water for months after accumulating unpaid utility bills, leaving both offices and staff quarters affected.

The NPS says government departments and institutions occasionally experience financial constraints, particularly at the end and beginning of the financial year.

Citizen TV visited several of the affected police stations at Kasarani, Buruburu, Lang'ata and Kamukunji and captured scenes of darkness inside the stations after the electricity supply was disconnected.

Arrears running into millions of shillings have led to the situation after Kenya Power disconnected electricity directly at the transformers.

"Huku hakuna stima... Ilikatwa. Iko bill hatujalipa... Iko bill ingine kubwa sana hapa ya Ksh.22 million. Ni kama hata wengine hatukuwa tumeingia hapa,” a protected officer at Buruburu Police Station revealed.

"Unajua haijakatwa hapa pekee yake... But countrywide wamekata kwa polisi, hata Central huko...walikata zile station zote ziko na stima kubwa. bill inalipwa yote accumulatively. Wadosi wanaona kuliko walipe hiyo pesa yote, si afadhali waikule."

Another protected officer at Kamukunji Police Station added: “Mpaka ndani ya cell hakuna... Hii solar ndiyo inatusustain kidogo... Mpaka kwa manyumba hakuna stima. Nakuambia hapa ungepata taa kubwa si ningekuonea huko."

At Lang'ata Police Station, another officer revealed how the power was cut.

"Waling'oa karibu waende na kikingi... Ati hakuna government to government. Deni ya over Ksh.20 million," he said.

The officer from Buruburu Police Station also said: "Hakuna stima. Unajua hata sikuoni, wallahi...Imekatwa. Serikali imekata. Wewe utaturudishia?"

The lack of electricity has slowed service delivery. When Citizen TV requested a police abstract, officers said there was no power to print the document and directed us to a nearby cyber café, forcing members of the public to seek services outside the station.

"Inatolewa photocopy ama copy moja tu? Huku kuna stima, police station ndiyo haina stima,” said a cyber café attendant.

The crisis extends beyond the workplace. At night, officers' houses are in the dark, with their families also affected by the blackout.

"House quarters ni hii na hakuna stima. Ile station wako na bill kubwa ndiyo wanakatanga... Unajua wanakaanga kama miezi sita hawajalipa," an officer from Buruburu Police Station said.

Another officer from Lang'ata Police Station said, “Ile rumours nilisikia ni Ksh.22 million. Walikuja wakakata...walikatia juu kwa transformer. Utaona mpaka wametoa some component. Hata kuna kawire walikuwa wakate, tukasema hapana, hii wametuzoea."

At Kasarani Police Station, the situation is compounded by water shortages, with officers saying they have gone for months without a reliable supply and are now forced to buy water from vendors.

"Hatujakuwa na maji kutoka mwezi wa tano,” said an officer.

At Lang'ata Police Station, there is a standby generator, but officers say it is not operational because it is too costly to run and there is no funding.

"Generator inanyonya, kunyonya. Inaweza kuwakisha mpaka line ya police, lakini one hour imekula tank moja. Walileta kubwa na wakachukua ile ilikuwa ndogo. Hii ni kubwa sana, na huko kwenye watu wanaishi inakaa hivi,” said the officer.

Another officer at Kasarani Police Station said, “Unaona nimewakisha makaratasi ndiyo umbu isitukule. Ama hujawahi jua kuwakisha makaratasi hivyo inafukuza umbu? Tumekuwa walimu sasa."

Citizen TV also encountered a Kenya Power vehicle checking for illegal electricity reconnections. Officials declined to comment on camera.

NPS Spokesperson Michael Muchiri said: "Government departments and institutions (and even private entities) are not immune to the occasional financial crunch, more so at the end/start of a financial year."

The NPS was allocated Ksh.144.7 billion in this financial year's budget. Of this, Internal Security and National Administration received Ksh.63.9 billion, while the Kenya Prisons Service was allocated Ksh.42.6 billion.

Including the Ksh.64.1 billion allocated to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Ministry of Interior will oversee a budget of more than Ksh.315.3 billion.