Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko announced that his administration will sue Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) over the recent shutdown of electricity to county government offices, street lighting and referral hospitals.

The governor described the KSh25 million invoice as inflated, lacking a detailed breakdown and impossible to verify through meter readings, and characterised it as an intimidation tactic.

Kenya Power responded that Migori County has accumulated unpaid balances over several months, especially for street‑lighting charges incurred after the infrastructure was installed.

KPLC’s Migori representative Zachary Opapa said the county has not paid its street‑lighting bills and that smart meters fitted on the poles allow the county to access consumption data, countering claims of missing meters.

A spot check by TUKO.co.ke revealed that multiple county departments – including Legal Affairs, Agriculture, Roads and Transport, Lands, the Deputy Governor’s office and Education – have been operating without electricity, some for nearly a year.

Local residents and traders say the loss of street lighting has heightened insecurity and forced many businesses to close earlier, with boda‑boda riders reporting increased risk for night‑time travel, particularly for women.

Healthcare workers and patients have voiced concerns that the power outage could disrupt services at the county referral hospital, although no specific interruptions have been confirmed.