Kenya goes black as dark days begin...

So you think you have a bad day? Think again for you haven’t seen anything yet. Some of us are having really bad days.

Have you ever woken up to darkness? With no water in the house, no food, and no money? And just when you prepare to go to work, realize that you didn’t iron your clothes, or charged your phone, or your laptop is out of power and have a pending deadline? Or you coffee machine don’t work and if it did there is nothing much you could do? I am not so sure you have.

Well, this has been the life many of us are have been living in Nairobi. Each day. Everyday. For the last several days- and it has all to do with one Kenya Power and Lighting Company- who decided that living in darkness is not a crime.

Beginning of last week, The Kenya Power and Lighting Company announced a power rationing program that has seen residents go without power for thirty six hours or three days in a week.

This tough measure according to the government was taken due to the reduction in water levels at the major hydro- power plants- which resulted from adverse environmental degradation and prolonged drought.

The first victim was the Masinga dam which was closed due to low water levels- with strong hints that Kamburu dam would follow suit.

Signals that the Ministry of Energy was duly aware that rationing would occur emerged early this year with the importation of huge generating turbines arriving at the port of Mombasa even before the government brought fourth tenders for Independent Power Producers.

Initially, the government through the Ministry of Energy had announced an electricity management program that would have seen residents go two days in a week without electricity but it was reversed to three days.

While announcing the news at his office, Energy minister Kiriatu Murungi said electricity supply would however, be normal during the night.

He nonetheless, failed to say for how long the rationing would last- instead, took refuge in the assumption that the situation could ease, if the short rains expected in September through December are sufficient.

The move by the government elicited immediate reactions with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Betty Maina terming it an unfortunate development that was unavoidable.

The power rationing comes at a time when Kenyans are already grappling and burdened with water and food shortages.

Apparently there are over 10 million Kenyans facing food starvation.

In coming into terms with these harsh realities, the cabinet was forced to meet early this week and deliberated on steps to take in curbing the food, water and power shortages.

One of the resolutions was to provide subsidy food to over 10 million Kenyans in seriously hit areas.

Beside food and power, water is another rare commodity that we have been forced to deal with? Some residents of Nairobi have not seen water run from their taps for the last six months.

To add salt to injury, Kenyans are likely to pay more for the supply of electricity at night, as the Government is depending on thermal generation to avoid plunging the country into total darkness.

And just incase things don’t improve, (short rains fail to be sufficient), the government will be forced to introduce more emergency power system which will mean electricity bills going up.

The power-rationing programme nevertheless, has not affected Central Business Districts in key towns, hospitals, security installations and industrial areas.

But has spelt doom for small and medium enterprises that mainly operate in estates and provide a source of living for millions of people.

Within four days of power rationing, traders had registered very low profits and dissatisfaction.

But even as the country adjusts to these challenges, the government is engaged in a major political showdown with politicians from the Rift Valley region over the Mau Forest.

Mau Forest Complex is a major water catchment resource in the country with fifteen rivers originating from there.

But has been encroached and destroyed.

The distraction has bore catastrophic ramifications including the shortage of water in our taps, lack of rains resulting to shortage of food and ultimately lack of enough water in the dams to generate sufficient power.

Right now one has to program himself like a computer.

Time to shower, time to iron, charge your phone, use the computer, watch TV or listen to radio.

It’s more like living in Kalahari Desert where food, water, and money comes at the grace of the Lord.

The only difference is that there are no wild animals here that might confuse you for food.