Transformer oil stolen to fry food

By Michael Oriedo

They are very ‘professional’ in their illegal undertakings. One minute the lights are on, the next they are gone.

Sitting in your house or at your business premise, you believe that it is a normal blackout that will last less than 30 minutes.

However, the waiting stretches to several days. Upon inquiring, nay protesting to Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), you learn that crooks have vandalised the nearby transformer or power cables.

Kenya Power and Lighting (KPLC) staff display bars of aluminium made from smelted power cables (inset) stolen from the company. The smelting was at Lwasami village, Mumias District.

However, he warns that the mixed oil, which is sold cheaply in the black market, negatively affects machines or vehicles that use it.

Nevertheless, that use is not shocking. Our investigations have unearthed that unscrupulous fast-food traders mix the oil with cooking oil and use it to deep fry chips, chicken and mandazis among other foods.

Apparently, unlike vegetable oil, transformer oil is stable when heated.

Therefore, criminals mix it with cooking oil to prevent the latter from darkening or deteriorating fast.

Main beneficiaries

Normally when constantly exposed to heat as it happens when frying fish or chips, vegetable oil depreciates faster. But when it is mixed with transformer oil, one can reuse it for several months without it darkening.

Njue says transformer oil, which is made from petroleum, when used for cooking has adverse health effects on the body.

"Petroleum oil contains chemicals that are harmful when ingested. People should be careful where they eat," he warns.

Police spokesperson Erick Kiraithe says police have not received any reports that transformer oil is being used in cooking.

Although he does not rule out that dishonest traders may be using it for that purpose, Kiraithe says police have information that criminals sell it to motorists especially matatu operators.

He says police are aware of the rising cases of transformer vandalism and are working with KPLC to curb the vice.

"We have formed police units to work with KPLC officers in areas prone to vandalism," he says. "We have managed to nab several suspects." He terms the offence as sabotage and calls for strengthening of laws that deal with the crime.

"Vandals leave people in darkness and disrupt communication. They are malicious and destructive and cause unnecessary suffering. The electricity company and its customers lose a lot of revenue," says Kiraithe.

As a country, he says we need to review laws on sabotage and related offences so that they reflect the gravity of the crime.

"Transformer vandalism is a serious crime yet people escape with light sentences. It facilitates the rise of other crimes during blackouts. Hospitals, schools and factories are affected," he says.

Among those people KPLC and the police suspect of perpetuating the vice include former KPLC staff and employees of contractors who work with the company.