Kenya Power on the spot after woman is electrocuted

She was electrocuted when the power line fell on the motorcycle. [Courtesy]

A woman’s journey back home ended tragically after she was electrocuted when an electric pole fell on a motorcycle she was riding on at Vyemani in Mombasa.

Mgeni Mohammed, who was returning home after seeing off a friend died on the spot while two others who were on the same motorcycle sustained injuries.

Ms Mwanaharusi Musa, a witness, said the woman was hit on the head when the pole fell. She blamed Kenya Power for neglecting their plea to have the poles fixed.

"We had just returned from the mosque when we saw the pole which was loose fall on a moving motorcycle that was carrying the woman," she said.

Ms Aisha Mohamed, another resident, claimed that many electric poles in the area are in a bad state. "Our appeal is to the Kenya Power to repair all these poles because they are a death trap." 

The deceased uncle, Hamisi Mohamed, demanded that the company compensates them for failing to observe the safety of the residents.

"We want action to be taken so that as a family we can be compensated. Many poles are hanging and the electricity company has not bothered even after we reported,” said Mohamed.

The family said they are mourning their daughter who at the time of her death was an intern at Kenya Ferry Services (KFS).

The two other people on the motorcycle were treated at a nearby hospital and discharged.

When The Standard visited the scene, the two poles had already been replaced. The residents said the officials came at night and installed them.

Kenya Power Coast regional manager Hicks Waswa confirmed the incident, saying investigations were underway and a detailed report will be released by the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

The incident comes barely a month after a woman died in Mombasa and another one sustaining severe injuries in Kwale County in a similar incident. Ms Jerusha Karimi, 29 was electrocuted at her workplace in Bamburi.

According to her sister, Winnie Kagendo Karimi was inside a shop where she was serving her clients when the incident happened.

In another incident, Kwekwe Mnyika, 40, sustained severe burns on her body after she stepped on high voltage power while collecting firewood near her home in Mwangulo area. The incident happened on February 17.

Her daughter, Luvuno Kirongo, said before the incident they had reported to the company to have the power lines fixed.

According to a medical report at Lunga Lunga sub-county hospital, Mnyika sustained about 30 percent second-degree burn.