By the 254.ke Newsroom
Kenya Power has scheduled planned maintenance outages in parts of 13 counties on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, with most affected areas set to be without electricity from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The notice covers Nairobi, Kitui, Garissa, Nyeri, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Kericho, Nandi, Migori, Kakamega, Bungoma and Vihiga. Kericho runs an hour earlier, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The company’s notice says only that the interruptions are for planned power maintenance. Outlets that republished it do not agree on every detail, so the discrepancies are flagged below.
Which areas will lose power on October 21?
| County | Areas listed | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | Nairobi West, Highrise, Ngumo, parts of Mbagathi Road, Nairobi West Prison, Daystar University (Mbagathi Way campus), KMTC, Riara University, Kemri, Laini Saba, Madaraka, parts of Kenyatta National Hospital | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Kitui | Kiusyani Market, Lower Yatta, Nthilani, Ilika, Muvitha, Muselele, Kalulini | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Garissa | Sumeya, 17KR, Modika, Maua Millers, Quba, Bulla Hagar, Duale Farm | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Nyeri | Muruguru and Kihethu; Itiati and Kiamucheru | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Kilifi | Mariakani town, Msufini, Majengo, Mariakani Secondary School | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Kwale | Kwale Town, Kinango, Tiribe, Kwale Referral Hospital, Ndavaya, Gulanze | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Lamu | Manda, Magogoni, Naval Base, Lamu LAPSET Port | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Kericho | Mau and Kaisugu tea factories, Tea Research Foundation, Chepsir Market, Brooke Wood | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Nandi | Ndulele, Chemnoet, Kapchumo | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Migori | Ndiwa, Nyatuoro, Lwala Rabuor, Kibuon, Diruma, Kolanya | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Kakamega | Khwisero Market and Hospital, Emalindi, Mulwanda, Khushiku, Ebukwala | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Bungoma | Lufwindire, Lurare, Nzoia Market, St. Paul Nzoia | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. per K24; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. per two other outlets |
| Vihiga | Eregi, Malinyo, Kerongo, Chandumba, Lusiole | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. per K24; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. per two other outlets |
The notice also covers “adjacent customers” in each area, so homes and businesses near the named places may be affected too.
Where do the reports differ?
K24 Digital, which published the full list on the evening of October 20, gives Bungoma and Vihiga the same 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. window as most other counties. Uzalendo News and Ghanamma both report 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the two counties. Uzalendo also places Ndiwa and Nyatuoro in Kisumu County, while K24 and Ghanamma list them under Migori.
Residents of those counties should treat the longer window as the safe assumption and check the original notice on the Kenya Power website before rearranging the day.
How should you prepare for a planned power cut?
- Charge phones, power banks and laptops the night before or early in the morning.
- Switch off and unplug sensitive appliances such as fridges, TVs and computers. Supply often returns with a surge.
- Shops, salons, welders and mills should reschedule power-dependent work, or arrange a generator.
- Do not touch fallen or low-hanging lines at any point during the day. Keep clear and report them to Kenya Power.
Is the outage over when the time ends?
Not always. Planned maintenance can finish early or run late depending on the work involved. Kenya Power usually restores supply feeder by feeder, so some neighbours may come back before others.
Frequently asked questions
Which counties have power cuts today, October 21, 2026?
Nairobi, Kitui, Garissa, Nyeri, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Kericho, Nandi, Migori, Kakamega, Bungoma and Vihiga.
What time does the power go off?
Mostly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kericho is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Bungoma and Vihiga may end at 1 p.m., depending on the source.
Why is Kenya Power switching off supply?
The notice cites planned maintenance. It does not give a more specific reason for individual areas.
Are outages announced in advance every week?
Kenya Power regularly publishes planned interruptions a day or more ahead. See our earlier report on outages in Nairobi and six other counties.
Related reading: Kenya electricity charges for October 2026 and the Nairobi water shutdown affecting 40+ areas.
Sources: Kenya Power notice as reported by K24 Digital (October 20-21, 2026), Uzalendo News (October 20, 2026) and Ghanamma (October 20, 2026).
