The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a Kenya Power and Lighting Company official over allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe linked to an electricity infrastructure dispute in Vihiga County.
In a statement, the anti-graft agency said Kennedy Wambani Oduor, an employee attached to the utility firm’s Mbale-Vihiga office, was arrested following investigations into claims that he demanded money from a local organisation while threatening to disconnect its power supply.
According to the EACC, the case dates back to October 2022 when God’s Vision for Africa reported a damaged and potentially dangerous electricity pole near its premises.
The organisation allegedly made several reports to Kenya Power but claimed no action was taken.
Fearing the risk of electrocution and fire, the organisation reportedly hired a private contractor to replace the rotten pole.
Investigators say the suspect later objected to the replacement and allegedly threatened to disconnect the organisation’s electricity unless he was paid KSh50,000.
The matter was subsequently reported to the EACC, which launched investigations and mounted an operation that resulted in the suspect’s arrest while allegedly receiving KSh20,000.
“Following preliminary findings, the Commission mounted an operation that led to the arrest of the suspect while receiving Kes 20,000,” the agency said.
Upon completion of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which approved bribery charges against the suspect under the Anti-Bribery Act of 2016.
Oduor was arraigned before the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court on May 7, 2026, after being booked at Kisumu Central Police Station.
The court released him on a cash bail of KSh200,000 with a surety of a similar amount pending the hearing of the case.
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