Kenya Power official arrested over alleged Sh20,000 bribery scheme

Kenya Power technicians replace a transformer at Kanyange village in Othaya, Nyeri County. [File, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a Kenya Power employee attached to the Mbale-Vihiga office over alleged bribery.

The suspect, Kennedy Wambani Oduor, was arrested following investigations into claims that he solicited and received a Sh20,000 bribe from a local organisation.

According to EACC, the case stemmed from a complaint lodged by God’s Vision for Africa in Vihiga after a damaged and dangerous electricity pole near its premises was allegedly ignored by Kenya Power despite repeated reports made in October 2022.

Fearing possible electrocution and fire outbreaks, the organisation reportedly hired a private contractor to replace the rotten pole.

Investigators say the suspect later became agitated by the replacement and allegedly threatened to disconnect the organisation’s electricity supply unless he was paid a bribe of Sh50,000.

The matter was reported to the anti-graft agency, which launched investigations before mounting an operation that led to the suspect’s arrest while allegedly receiving Sh20,000.

Following completion of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved bribery charges against the suspect under the Anti-Bribery Act, 2016.

Oduor was booked at Kisumu Central Police Station before being arraigned at the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court on May 7, 2026.

He was later released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 with a surety of a similar amount pending the hearing of the case.