Mandera Power Crisis: Senator Roba Seeks Ruto’s Intervention
He appealed directly to the President to intervene, stressing that the situation has become unbearable.
As the holy month of Ramadhan approaches, the Mandera Senator has called on President William Ruto to intervene and end the persistent power outages affecting the county.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, Senator Ali Roba urged the government to explore permanent solution, noting that Mandera residents have endured prolonged electricity disruptions that have severely affected their economic and social livelihoods.
Despite repeated appeals and continuous engagement with the national government, the Senator said little progress has been made. He appealed directly to the President to intervene, stressing that the situation has become unbearable.
“We want to plead with you. You are the Head of Government and the President of the Republic of Kenya. The people of Mandera are Kenyans too. They are suffering, and the problem of power outages has become an embarrassment—a black mark on your governance,” Senator Roba said during a recent public engagement with local residents.
He further expressed concern that soaring temperatures exceeding 40 degrees celsius, coupled with the ongoing drought, are likely to worsen the livelihoods of residents and disrupt the smooth observance of Ramadhan.
“It is deeply concerning that every time Ramadhan approaches, Mandera residents are subjected to serious power blackouts. Our people are suffering in extreme heat without reliable electricity,” he added.
During a visit to Mandera last year, President Ruto pledged to resolve the electricity crisis, stating that the government was investing Sh2.6 billion to improve power supply. He also noted that the government was engaging Ethiopia to connect Mandera to the Ethiopian electricity grid to further boost supply.
Currently, the county relies on ageing Kenya Power diesel generators, which frequently break down, leading to power outages that affect households, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and businesses.
If the situation is not addressed in the coming days, Mandera residents risk facing Ramadhan—just as they did last year—with evening prayers conducted in darkness, while iftar and suhoor meals will also be observed without reliable lighting.