Two men accused of vandalising electricity infrastructure in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, have been handed stiff penalties as the government escalates efforts to curb power equipment theft that has caused frequent outages and costly repairs for businesses and households.
The Ndhiwa Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court delivered a landmark ruling sentencing the duo to 10 years in prison each or an alternative fine of KSh 5 million. Authorities hailed the judgment as a necessary deterrent at a time when Kenya continues to grapple with rising cases of transformer vandalism and illegal power connections.
The first suspect, David Ochieng Lang’o, was arrested in July 2025 during a joint operation between Kenya Power-attached police officers and officers from Migori Police Station. Investigators reported finding him in possession of 10 jerrycans containing oil believed to have been siphoned from vandalised transformers. The oil forms a crucial component of transformer insulation and cooling systems, and its theft renders equipment unusable, disrupting electricity supply to entire neighbourhoods or commercial zones.
Despite pleading not guilty, Lang’o was convicted after the court concluded the evidence presented was sufficient to prove involvement in damaging public utilities.
His co-accused, Godwin Omondi Oduogi, was apprehended earlier in April 2025 by detectives from the DCI Ndhiwa office. He was accused of unlawfully disconnecting a customer from the power grid, an offence that triggered further investigation. During interrogation, officers discovered a transformer fuse in his possession — equipment classified as part of critical power distribution infrastructure. Like Lang’o, he denied the charges but was ultimately found guilty following a full trial.
In its ruling, the court cited repeated incidents of vandalism in Ndhiwa Sub-County, which have disrupted power supply to local businesses, schools and health facilities. Such crimes often lead to prolonged outages that stall economic activities, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises reliant on equipment that cannot function without electricity.
The magistrate said the harsh penalties were intended to send a clear message that acts that jeopardise the national electricity network will no longer be treated lightly.
“The rising cases of vandalism and outages demand firm action to protect the rights and livelihoods of affected communities,” the court noted in the judgment. “Such behaviour undermines critical infrastructure and threatens both economic stability and public safety.”
Kenya Power, which has in recent years incurred heavy financial losses due to transformer theft, welcomed the decision as an important milestone in safeguarding public assets. The utility company replaces between 200 and 300 vandalised transformers each year nationwide, a cost that often runs into hundreds of millions of shillings and ultimately affects electricity tariffs passed to consumers.
Kenya Power’s Security Services Manager, Major Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd), said the ruling reflects growing collaboration between energy sector stakeholders, security agencies and the judiciary to tackle power infrastructure crime.
“This ruling continues to reinforce our commitment to safeguarding power infrastructure serving our people,” he said. “We thank the Judiciary and the law enforcement agencies for their continued support in ensuring that justice is served in such cases.”
Major Kigen emphasised that vandalism is not only a financial burden but also poses serious safety risks. Transformer oil theft and cut power lines have previously resulted in electrocutions, fires, and widespread outages during emergencies. He urged the public to play an active role in protecting infrastructure by reporting suspicious activity.
“When vandalism occurs, it affects livelihoods and the safety of our communities,” he said. “We call on the public to speak out against anyone tampering with power installations.”
Kenya Power continues to invest in technology-driven security improvements such as GPS tracking of critical components, community surveillance partnerships, and rapid response coordination with regional police units. The company has also been advocating for tougher penalties under the Energy Act to discourage the lucrative illegal trade in copper wires, fuses, and transformer oil — products often resold to scrap metal dealers despite regulatory bans.
Legal experts say the sentencing aligns with expanded enforcement measures implemented in recent years to protect utility assets. Courts have increasingly applied maximum penalties allowed under the law as vandalism grows in sophistication and scale. In some counties, organised criminal groups have been linked to the theft and resale of power equipment, driven by high global demand for scrap metals.
Businesses in regions like Ndhiwa have raised alarm over interruptions caused by infrastructure damage, arguing that outages disrupt manufacturing, force reliance on backup generators and reduce productivity, particularly in sectors such as food processing, hospitality and small retail. The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has previously called for stronger crackdowns to ensure stable supply for industrial zones.
Local residents, too, have expressed frustration over repeated disruptions that affect lighting, food storage and water pumping systems, especially in rural households that have only recently been connected to the national grid under ongoing electrification programmes.
As the energy sector prepares for further expansion under planned renewable and transmission upgrades, stakeholders warn that unchecked vandalism could undermine national ambitions to achieve universal access to reliable power, attract investment and support job creation.
Authorities say more arrests are expected as investigations into related incidents continue. Kenya Power has indicated that deeper cooperation with the DCI and National Police Service will remain central to efforts to dismantle vandalism networks and secure the grid.
“The protection of electricity infrastructure is a shared responsibility,” Major Kigen reiterated. “We must defend these assets because they power homes, businesses and essential services.”
The ruling is expected to set a strong precedent in future prosecutions. With the holiday season approaching — a period that typically sees increased electricity consumption — the company has called for heightened vigilance to ensure uninterrupted supply and protect progress made in expanding connectivity across the country.
