On the evening of July 29, a major power outage swept across several Kenyan regions including Nairobi, Coast, Mt. Kenya, and parts of the Central Rift, leaving many areas in darkness from around 8:30 pm. The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) confirmed the disruption, noting that the North Rift and Western regions remained unaffected.
Despite the widespread blackout, Kiambu County stood out as an exception. The county's public spaces, especially bus parks, remained illuminated throughout the outage due to its extensive network of solar-powered streetlights.
Solar Lighting Shields Kiambu from Blackout
Governor Kimani Wamatangi highlighted the county's resilience, attributing it to the investment in solar technology. "When a nationwide power blackout brought much of the country to a standstill, Kiambu refused to go dark," he said on social media.
Currently, Kiambu has installed 12,000 solar streetlights in its first phase of deployment. Plans are underway to double this number to 24,000 within the ongoing financial year, further enhancing the county's energy independence and public safety.
Public Reaction and Social Media Buzz
The blackout sparked widespread reactions online, with humorous takes trending on social platforms. The phrase "Is Sifuna okay?" circulated widely, referencing Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s recent media appearance. Others joked about political figures, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, suggesting the outage might have been politically motivated.
