Residents of Esirisia village in Matayos constituency, Busia county have faulted the Kenya Power and Lighting Company for refusing to oversee electricity connection in the area.
Led by Bonventure Pamba, the irate locals allege that the power company erected poles and connected wires early this year but till now they are yet to get electricity after the company refused to install a transformer, “We thought they would connect power immediately but up to now it’s almost one year we haven’t gotten electricity. They are yet to bring a transformer which will enable us to get electricity.”
They have visited Kenya Power offices in Busia town severally but the efforts have not borne any fruits, “The first time we went to the office, there is an officer there by the name Barasa who talked to us arrogantly, saying that we are lucky we’ll get power connection for the first time since we were born. After that we have gone back several times but nothing has been done.”
The over two hundred locals have expressed the agony they are going through, “We are forced to walk several kilometers to seek electricity to charge our phones. We don’t watch television thus left behind in terms of news updates. When our children want to study at night they can’t because of lack of electricity and theft has increased because of darkness.”
They have threatened to hold weekly demonstrations to the Kenya Power offices until their plea is heard, even as they also called on their leaders to help them push Kenya Power to bring them a transformer, “Our area MCA Vincent Ojiambo, our MP Geoffrey Odanga where are you? We voted for you so that you represent us in such matters, please come to our aid.”