NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Much of Kenya awoke Saturday morning to seek out it was nonetheless with out electrical energy after an unexplained energy outage Friday evening shut down the nation’s primary worldwide airport and led to a uncommon public apology by a authorities minister. Major hospitals and even the president’s workplace compound had been affected.

“I am really sorry for what has happened,” transport minister Kipchumba Murkomen mentioned in a press release near midnight. “There is no excuse worth reporting and there is no reason why our airport is in darkness.”

This newest outage affecting a lot of the nation comes simply weeks earlier than Kenya’s authorities hosts the primary Africa Climate Summit, the place power might be key on the agenda. Kenya will get virtually all its power from renewable sources, however infrastructure and alleged mismanagement stay a difficulty within the nation of greater than 50 million folks.

The majority government-owned Kenya Power introduced in a quick assertion a “system disturbance leading to loss of bulk power supply” to elements of the nation simply earlier than 10 p.m. Friday. Shortly after midnight, it reported that energy had been restored to the Mt. Kenya area, a longtime political stronghold, and added that preliminary stories indicated a fault in a era plant.

Around 3 a.m., Kenya Power mentioned energy had been restored to the worldwide airport within the capital, Nairobi, and different “critical areas” within the capital area.

However, three of Nairobi’s largest hospitals - and its State House, the positioning of President William Ruto’s workplace - advised The Associated Press they had been nonetheless utilizing turbines hours after Kenya Power’s assertion.

The energy outage approached the 12-hour mark Saturday. Calls to Kenya Power’s communications division didn't undergo.

Tourism is a crucial a part of Kenya’s financial system, and stranded vacationers shortly posted pictures on social media of the darkened airport. The Kenya Airports Authority mentioned a generator serving the principle terminal had failed to begin after the nationwide energy outage.

Meanwhile, Kenyans already dealing with rising prices of residing woke as much as discover meals spoiling and a few backup energy choices operating out.

The most up-to-date nationwide energy outage was in May.

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