NAIROBI — In a daring nighttime operation near Nyayo Stadium, three men including a police officer were arrested while allegedly vandalising high-voltage underground power cables.
The suspects were part of a larger group of about ten men, armed with crude tools, who were found tampering with the 66-kilovolt cables. These cables are a vital part of Nairobi’s power supply, serving key areas including Upper Hill, Kenyatta National Hospital, South C, Madaraka, and even parts of the city centre.
Among those arrested was Dennis Mbithi Nzioki, a serving police officer attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Makadara. His alleged accomplices, Thomas Mutua and Joseph Kyalo, were also taken into custody. The other suspects managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
The three were booked at Capitol Hill Police Station, according to Kenya Power officials.
Security teams on site recovered five metres of the already cut cable, along with tools believed to have been used in the crime — four hoes, two spades, and two hacksaws.
Kenya Power’s Managing Director, Dr Joseph Siror, praised the swift action by the security personnel and condemned the criminal act.
“Vandalism of power infrastructure has continued to pose a serious risk to public safety while disrupting electricity supply to homes and businesses,” Dr Siror said in a statement.
“It is unfortunate that, as we work to supply reliable and safe electricity to our customers, a few people are involved in vandalism and other illegal activities that compromise the safety of the network.”
Siror added that the company will not relent in increasing surveillance and working with law enforcement to protect its infrastructure. He also urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activity.
The cables damaged on Saturday feed Ragati and Nairobi West substations, which supply electricity to dozens of high-demand areas, including South B, Ngumo, Mbagathi Hospital, KEMRI, and parts of Langata Road. The damage not only caused outages but also weakened the system’s backup supply to the city centre.
Experts warn that vandalism of such infrastructure puts lives at risk — both for those involved and unsuspecting residents — and can cost the power company millions in losses and repair bills.
Local authorities have promised a thorough investigation into how a serving police officer became part of the suspected gang. Police have not yet confirmed whether the officer will face internal disciplinary action in addition to criminal charges.
Kenya Power is asking citizens to report suspicious behaviour near power lines through their toll-free number or by dialling USSD Code *977#.
For now, the focus remains on tracking down the remaining suspects and ensuring no further disruptions hit the city’s grid.
