Kibos Prison in darkness after power cut over unpaid bills

A prison officer keeps vigil at the entrance of Kibos Main Prison in Kisumu County. Kenya power has disconnected electricity supply to the prison. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Kenya Power on Monday disconnected electricity to Kibos Main Prison in Kisumu, sparking an outcry from warders.

The company’s Western Kenya Regional Manager Dan Obiero said the disconnection resulted from unpaid bills of Sh650,000.

“We disconnected power to the main prison, including the staff quarters, due to the accrued bills,” Mr Obiero said.

He disclosed that the prison has a main meter point that serves the entire correctional facility.

But the power was restored Tuesday afternoon after the prison cleared the bill.

The disconnection had sparked an outcry from the warders, who claimed they were working in an unsafe environment.

“This is a big prison and we deal with all manner of criminals, including hard-core convicts, hence the need for quick intervention to restore power,” said a warder, who declined to be named due to sensitivity of the matter.

Nyanza Regional Prisons Commander Amos Misik had said only the staff quarters were affected by the power cut.

“The prison and the staff quarters have separate metres and the only one affected is that of our staff. We are are sorting things out,” Mr Misik told Nation.