A police raid was carried out on Friday, May 26, in Cabanas, Embakasi, Nairobi, resulting in the recovery of Ksh7 million worth of stolen goods from Kenya Power.

The operation was prompted by a tip-off from vigilant residents who had noticed suspicious activities taking place in a local warehouse.

Energy Principal Secretary (PS) Alex Wachira, present at the scene, explained that the businessmen had melted down aluminum cables and transformed them into window panes.

The stolen goods were also found concealed inside a container, awaiting illegal distribution in the market.

The PS emphasized that the owners of the warehouse and the sellers involved would face charges for the vandalism of government property.

"They took the conductors, cut them into small pieces, and melted them during the night and early morning hours," Wachira revealed.

In April 2023, the PS disclosed that the country was losing an average of 20 transformers per week due to theft. He further emphasized the negative impact of these incidents on the economy.

"Transformer theft cases have been on the rise due to the high demand for copper wires in the black market. Parliament should impose heavy fines and penalties on all those found guilty," stated the PS.

On May 20, Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir issued a warning about a potential ban on scrap metal due to the escalating vandalism of power lines.

Chirchir argued that these vandals were causing significant inconvenience to the public by causing frequent power outages after the previous ban had been lifted.

"When you become vandals, you are fighting against the government. If we decide to shut down this sector, we can do so in a single day," warned Chirchir.

On May 25, the Scrap Metal Council (SMC) joined in by threatening to revoke the licenses of traders accused of vandalizing critical infrastructure in both public and private sectors.

"We have already revoked the license of Triple Seven Collectors Ltd with immediate effect. We are consulting with the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner General (KRA) to obtain information on all misconducts in the scrap metal industry for appropriate action," stated Francis Mugo, the chairperson of the council.

In 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta imposed the ban on scrap metal after a single incident of vandalism resulted in a nationwide blackout.

Uhuru stated that the trade would only be reopened once proper guidelines were established to ensure that the materials did not come from the hard-earned investments made by Kenyans.