On Wednesday, the German Embassy in Nairobi faced an 8-hour blackout that disrupted its operations, temporarily halting services, including visa processing.

Kenyans and foreign nationals who had appointments at the consulate located at Riverside Drive 113, were left in disarray after their travel plans had been distorted by the facility’s inability to provide services.

Many took to social media platforms to share their frustration and demand that the Embassy extend operations into the weekend to cover up for the lost time.

“My planned travel date was yesterday and my classes in Germany start on October 21st. I would be grateful if you could keep my application in the queue as well. My passport will arrive at your office today,” one traveller wrote.

The German Embassy in Nairobi released a statement explaining that the blackout affected both the main electricity supply and the backup systems.

“A power outage & backup failure has severely impacted IT systems of our consular & visa section. As of now, we can’t issue any visas. No applications can be processed,” the embassy noted.

Although power outages have become a more frequent phenomenon in the country, it is rare for the Embassy to be affected in this way. After 8 hours, the power was restored, and travellers were informed.

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The German Embassy announced that they would remain closed starting Friday in observance of the national holiday for the Day of German Unity.

“We are pleased to inform you that out IT systems are back online. Starting Friday (Embassy closed for Day of German Unity tomorrow) Consulate and Visa section will be offering services as usual. Thank you for your understanding.”

This situation that hit the German Embassy mirrors Kenya’s struggles with electricity supply over the past year. Kenya has experienced 3 nationwide blackouts in 2024.