Lights went out and lit up Kenyans on social media

A major power outage hit the country on Tuesday evening and while most parts of the country were plunged into darkness it was all lit up on social media.

As usual, Kenyans on Twitter went into overdrive lamenting and making fun of the blackout that came on a day when the power distributor was welcoming a new chairman, Engineer Mahboub Maalim Mohamed.

Business in most parts of country was abysmally disrupted for hours by the massive power cut that affected Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kiambu, Bomet, Embu,Kisii, Laikipia, Narok, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Meru, Taita Taveta, Tharaka-Nithi and Uasin Gishu counties.

It is a curious coincidence that last year on the same date, most parts of the country were enveloped in darkness after a widespread power cut hit Nairobi, Mount Kenya and Coast regions, equally disrupting businesses.

In a statement to newsrooms, Kenya Power last evening said a “power system disturbance” caused the outage, adding that its engineers were battling to identify the fault and restore power supply as quickly as possible.

An interesting ironical fact is that, Germany was forced to pay its consumers to use electricity over the holidays due to excess power attributed to increase in power generation by the windmills as a result of unseasonably warm weather and strong breezes.

Here are some of the reactions to the power outage.

This my boy has to go to school tomorrow. I'm giving you 5 minutes @KenyaPower pic.twitter.com/gWyz4DNkVY

— IRENE NJERI (@njerikamenju) January 9, 2018

Martin Luther….black..
Barack Obama… black..
Kenya Power….. black…

— Cyprian kiprop (@ckcyprian) January 9, 2018

Those working at kenya power to marry those working at NTSA, disappointments on one side! pic.twitter.com/Wfxtuz02tM

— Joe Fidel (@SirJoe_254) January 9, 2018

https://twitter.com/Oloishona/status/950958764190064640

Caller: Hello,My name is Kamau kutoka Nyeree

Presenter: Yes Kamau which song are you requesting tonight?

Caller: I would like to request WAKA WAKA BY DIAMOND To go out to Kenya power
😁😁😁😁#TrapaDrive NTSA

— Kelvin (@KelvinKalz_) January 9, 2018

REPORTER: Mr Matiang'i what's your take on the countrywide power black out?

MATIANG'I: It was agreed by Kenya Power that instead of giving Kenyans short power breaks all year long, we combine it all give you in one night and move on, we're streamlining the power curriculum.

— HAILE (@AdamMaina_) January 9, 2018

Na vile mlikua mnataka bullet train ya stima supplied by one and only Kenya Power pic.twitter.com/VmmqIrycuE

— Arbakuramah (@Champonyi) January 9, 2018

Kenya Power looking at your battery percentage like #KPLCShutDown pic.twitter.com/p6GvMm90UG

— MC Pipita (@mcpipita) January 9, 2018

Kenya Power & Lightning Company should be rebranded to Kenya Paraffin Lamps & Candles Company. pic.twitter.com/0KReQZ4uPU

— MKALE FLANI ™ (@MkaleFlani_____) January 9, 2018