Residents of Nyataragi in Ndeiya, Limuru constituency were plunged into a blackout when two transformers serving them were vandalised on Thursday.

The destruction of the transformers left residents counting losses.

The angry residents say that more than 20 transformers have been vandalised by unknown people.

They say they rely on electricity to cut animal fodder and in poultry houses.

Farmer Mwangi Mutura said most of them practice dairy farming and rear more than five dairy cows.

"We normally use an electric chaff cutter to cut fodder such as nappier grass and maize plants. If one uses a panga, you can't finish that work, it's tiresome," he said.

Mutura also said they use electric refrigerators to store leftover milk.

Another resident Jenifer Ndirangu said they have brooders that rear chicks and also use electricity to rear chickens.

"We have been counting losses since our transformers started being vandalised," she said.

Ndirangu said areas such as Nyataragi, Ndiuni, Kiroe, Mirithu and Royal have had cases of transformers being vandalised.

Kenya Power officers who visited the scene said those vandalising the transformers steal copper wires and oil in the transformers.

The officers who declined to be quoted promised residents that they would repair the transformers.

However, Ndirangu asked the government to intensify patrols so as to keep away those vandalising the transformers.

She also asked President William Ruto to ban the scrap metal sale as a way of controlling the theft of copper metals.

"Until the government controls the scrap metal business, we shall have this kind of mess every time. We are asking our president to ban or suspend this business and come up with a better way of protecting electric copper wires ad other metals," she said.