Mvita Member of Parliament Mohamed Soud Machele has urged President William Ruto to intervene and address persistent power blackouts affecting residents of Mombasa.
The Mvita lawmaker raised the concern while speaking during the President’s Iftar dinner at State House Mombasa, where leaders and members of the Muslim community from across the Coast region had gathered.
Machele thanked the President for hosting the Coast leadership and residents for the Iftar meal, saying the gesture had been warmly received by the people of the region.
“Your Excellency, we want to express our sincere gratitude on behalf of the people of Mombasa and the entire Coast region for joining us for Iftar. This is something that has touched many people and it is something we will not forget,” he said.
However, the MP said Mombasa residents were increasingly frustrated by frequent electricity outages, which he attributed to rising power demand driven by rapid urban development.
“The people of Mombasa have recently begun experiencing frequent power blackouts, and this has angered many residents,” Machele said.
He noted that the city was expanding quickly, with private developers putting up large residential and commercial buildings while the government also plans to roll out major housing projects in the county.
“The city of Mombasa is growing very fast. Private developers are constructing large buildings and the national housing programme is also planning major investments here,” he said.
Machele explained that the power disruptions were linked to limitations in the current transmission infrastructure, particularly a planned 132-kilovolt transmission line project meant to improve electricity supply between Kipevu and Mbaraki.
“The blackouts are linked to a 132-kilovolt power line that is supposed to be constructed from Kipevu to Mbaraki, where a new substation is planned,” he said.
According to the MP, the project has faced delays after a court case was filed challenging the contract awarded to Kenya Power to construct the line and the substation.
He appealed to the President to help resolve the issue so the project can proceed and stabilize electricity supply in the city.
In response, President Ruto acknowledged the electricity challenges facing Mombasa and said the government was working to increase power generation and improve transmission infrastructure across the country.
The President noted that Kenya currently produces about 3,300 megawatts of electricity but demand is rising as the economy expands.
“We need to generate an additional 10,000 megawatts of energy because our economy is growing. We are creating new industries and building new factories,” Ruto said.
He added that legal issues that had delayed the Mombasa transmission line project had been resolved and the government would now proceed with the development to ensure adequate power supply to the coastal city.
