Operations have been paralysed at the Naivasha Maximum Security Prison after power was disconnected due to unpaid bills.
The prison, which is one of the largest in the country with a population of close to 3,000 inmates, for the fourth day running has had no water.
Power which is required to pump water from the institution’s borehole was disconnected over estimated Sh1.6 million in unpaid bills.
The officer in charge of the reform facility, Patrick Mwenda, expressed concerns over possible disease outbreak.
“We are in a real danger of a possible disease outbreak due to lack of water after power was disconnected to the only borehole serving a population of a close to 6,000 people” Mwenda told The Nation.
This is the second time that Kenya Power has disconnected power supply after the Kenya Prisons Service reportedly failed to honour a payment agreement it had with Kenya Power.
“The situation is pathetic. We have been assured of re-connection but nothing has been done yet,” said the prison's boss.
The situation has forced the prison management to purchase water from vendors including those using donkeys.