Principal hires quack to reconnect power in school, gets electrocuted

Principal's attempt to reconnect power in school leaves one dead

Mwangi Gathanwa

May 25, 2021 8:14 AM

KPLC had disconnected power to the school

Kenya Power workers install concrete pole

One man died in an electrocution that happened on Monday, May 24 at Kameji Secondary School in Migori County.

Pictures of the scene seen by Pulse Live show the man stuck onto the electricity pole.

Reports from Kenya Power explained that the school principal hired a quack masquerading as an electrician to reconnect power to his school after a disconnection by KPLC.

According to Kenya Power's Manager for Safety, Health, and Environment, John Guda, 345 people have been electrocuted across the country in the last three years.

Guda linked 74 percent of the electrocutions to dangerous public activities such as unauthorized connections, faulty insulation, arson, and wayleave encroachment, while 26 percent were triggered by Kenya Power's and contractors' incompetence and non-compliance requirements.

“In the 2018/2019 fiscal year 104 deaths were recorded while 148 people were electrocuted in 2019/2020. In the current financial year 93 people have lost their lives so far,” he explained.

To stop deaths, he advised Kenyans to avoid illegal connections and instead approach Kenya Power for connectivity.

The county with the highest rate of electrocution, according to the Safety Manager, is Nakuru.

Others which are also affected include Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, Kisii, Nyamira, Makueni, Busia, Siaya and Kwale counties.

Mwangi Gathanwa