MP Ali Rasso links rising robbery cases to unresolved power crisis in Marsabit

Rasso on Tuesday said the concern needs to be addressed urgently before things are blown out of proportion.

Speaking during a site visit to KPLC's Marsabit branch office, the lawmaker called on the company to replace a decade-old generator that is highly prone to mechanical problems.

Marsabit town has been experiencing power outages since 2018 with the crisis getting worse in the last three months.

“Thieves took advantage of the blackouts in town to carry out a series of unfortunate attacks on innocent residents. They knew police vigilance was poor due to power crisis” stated Rasso.

The UDA legislature also claimed that at least 90% of the robbery cases involved locals working with a clique of daring individuals who mainly terrorize businesspeople.

Hon. Rasso said the claim was backed up by various previous robbery cases reported where thieves targeted several premises that always receive huge operation traffic.

“Imagine these individuals have been engaging the police in running battles at night along the streets in town and lately through fierce fire exchanges” he added.

The MP also confirmed that police and local leaders are pursuing some individuals believed to be part of the robbery syndicate that also included theft of over 200 street light equipment within Marsabit town.

Earlier this month, two suspects linked to a group of 6 gun-totting individuals were arrested and arraigned before the Marsabit law court.

The suspects were arrested with food items and other valuables including phones and a home theatre as a search for their accomplices intensified.

To curb the situation, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) is expected to deliver an alternative generator to restore power. 

KPLC has now placed the residents under a scheduled power rationing plan.

The crisis has negatively affected private business premises, both national and county government and private firms that cannot afford alternative sources of power.

“I have met with the relevant authorities – both CS and the PS at the Ministry of energy and KPLC officials and I was given assurance for urgent restoration of power through the provision of another generator to replace the old one as a short-term solution. Our long-term solution is to connect the county to the national grid,” he emphasized.

This assurance is a culmination of other attempts to solve the power crises including peaceful demonstrations by the locals in September this year with unfulfilled promises by the concerned authorities.

Marsabit County produces 310 megawatts of electricity from Lake Turkana Wind Power located at Loiyangalani which is the biggest single private wind farm project in Africa worth Ksh.70 billion yet the region is facing serious power crises.