KAA’s clarification was issued on Friday, August 30, moments after the social media reports claimed that the country’s biggest airport was also affected by the nationwide blackout that swept most parts of the country.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) deemed reports circulating on social media regarding disruptions to operations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi due to the nationwide power outage as false and misleading.
KAA’s clarification was issued on Friday, August 30, moments after the social media reports claimed that the country’s biggest airport was also affected by the nationwide blackout that swept most parts of the country.
“The backup power systems and generators at the airport were activated promptly following tonight’s national grid outage, ensuring that the airport maintained full electricity supply without any interruption to services or flight operations,” KAA explained.
A power blackout that affected Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on August 25, 2023. /TWITTER
The authority assured the public that JKIA remained fully operational, and passengers were told to expect seamless service throughout their travel experience.
“The safety & security of our passengers are our top priorities, & we are dedicated to upholding the highest standards in airport operations,” added KAA.
Meanwhile, the power blackout, according to Kenya Power, hit most parts of the country, except the North Rift region and sections of the Western region, with Nairobi residents also not spared by the blackout wave.
“We regret any inconvenience caused and urge for patience from our customers as we work towards restoring normalcy at the earliest opportunity,” Kenya Power said in an update to newsrooms as of 9.57 pm.
“We will issue an update on the progress of the power restoration exercise as soon as possible.”
As of 11.55 pm, Kenya Power revealed that “Following the partial outage affecting several parts of the country this evening, we are pleased to report that power supply has now been restored to the entire Western region, as well as parts of Central Rift, South Nyanza, and Nairobi regions.”
The areas included Nakuru, Naivasha, Kericho, Bomet, Nyandarua, Kisii, Migori, Nyamira, Homa Bay, Machakos, Athi River and parts of Kiambu County.
In Nairobi, areas such as the Central Business District, Westlands, and the Industrial Area were reported to be also back in supply.
The North Rift region and Parts of the Western region were unaffected by the outage. Restoration efforts for the rest of the country were revealed to be ongoing.
The blackout was a rare one in 2024, given that the country witnessed four nationwide blackouts in 2023, two of which took place in December 2023 alone.
The outage caused major disruptions in the manufacturing and aviation sectors as well as other areas of the economy due to shutdowns.
