Governor Sakaja pushes for power reforms in Nairobi's slums

A section of Laini Saba, Kibera slum raze on August 13, 2024 [Pkemoi Ng'enoh, Standard]

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is calling for urgent, systemic change to protect slum dwellers.

This refers to the recent spate of fire that has engulfed Mathare and Kibera slums.

“The common strand in all these fires is energy-related. Most are caused by illegal connections using substandard cables and equipment,” Sakaja said.

“I’ve had discussions with the Energy CS. These illegal connections have been going on — if you can’t beat them, join them.”

The fire claimed eight lives—among them a woman and seven members of one family. More than 40 homes were reduced to rubble, and dozens of survivors were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Sakaja urged the national government and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to reduce electricity tariffs in informal settlements and to regularise access to power—an approach he believes will save lives and bring dignity to Nairobi’s most vulnerable.

“I urged the Energy CS to find the suppliers of these illegal connections, reduce their electricity tariffs, and equip them with the tools needed to distribute power safely,” Sakaja said.

The Kibera fire came just five days after another tragic inferno in Mathare B slums  on May 19, which claimed five lives, including two children, and destroyed homes and churches. Such tragedies have become disturbingly frequent.

“In January alone, we recorded 70 fire incidents,” Sakaja revealed. “If we don’t lower electricity tariffs in informal settlements, we will continue having fires every day.”

Investigations into the causes of these fires consistently point to a single culprit: unsafe and illegal electricity connections.

The slums residents often earn less than a few hundred shillings a day, the cost of formal connections and regulated bills is simply out of reach.

Left with no safe alternatives, many resort to makeshift, high-risk connections that turn their homes into tinderboxes.

Governor Sakaja said the solution lies in “globally recognised models of social electricity connections.”

These are systems that offer subsidised, prepaid, and low-voltage power access, with safety controls and community oversight—models used successfully in parts of India and South Africa.

“We need to adopt a more sustainable approach. Fire prevention must now be prioritised over reaction,” he said.

“By formalising access to electricity and lowering tariffs for vulnerable communities, we can prevent further loss of life.”