Kenya Power has explained two electricity billing disputes that sparked confrontations between customers and staff at its Naivasha and Roysambu offices, with one woman protesting a bill of about KSh200,000 over a meter she claimed was faulty.
In a statement on Thursday, November 12, the utility said the Naivasha case involved electricity consumed through an illegal connection that was not recorded by a meter, while the Roysambu dispute arose from an accumulated bill following an anomaly with a customer’s meter.
The company said it decided to address the incidents publicly after videos and reports of the confrontations attracted attention on social media.
“While we are mindful of our commitment to customer confidentiality and are generally reluctant to discuss individual customer disputes publicly, the videos and reports currently circulating require us to clarify two recent incidents,” Kenya Power said.
Kenya Power Explains Naivasha Billing Dispute
Operations at Kenya Power’s Naivasha office were disrupted on Wednesday, November 11, after a customer raised concerns over an electricity bill.
The utility said investigations found that electricity was illegally drawn through a punctured cable at the customer’s premises in January, resulting in consumption the meter did not record.
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According to the company, an independent inspection confirmed the findings, and the customer acknowledged the unmetered consumption before signing the relevant documents.
Kenya Power said it subsequently billed the customer for the electricity consumed and offered a flexible payment arrangement. However, the company claimed the customer had not met the agreed payment terms.
The utility added that its team remained open to engaging the customer to find an appropriate resolution.
Woman Protests KSh200,000 Electricity Bill at Roysambu Office
The Roysambu incident involved a woman who confronted Kenya Power staff over an accumulated electricity bill of approximately KSh200,000.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, the visibly frustrated woman questioned how her electricity meter had accumulated such a huge bill over two years, claiming her normal monthly consumption did not exceed KSh300.
She blamed the utility for failing to replace what she described as a faulty meter despite repeatedly reporting the problem.
The woman argued that replacing the meter was Kenya Power’s responsibility and questioned why she was being asked to pay a bill she believed had resulted from the company’s delay in addressing her complaints.
“I am not the one who is supposed to change the meter. It is Kenya Power that is supposed to change the meter,” she said.
She further claimed that she had made several trips to the company’s offices seeking assistance but had not received a solution.
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Responding to the dispute, Kenya Power said an inspection had established an anomaly with the customer’s meter, prompting the installation of a replacement.
The utility said it assessed the customer’s consumption using the average monthly usage recorded by the new meter, in line with legal requirements.
It added that its team had reached out to the customer and that engagements were ongoing to resolve the matter.
Kenya Power Urges Customers to Use Official Complaint Channels
The company encouraged customers with concerns about their electricity bills or meters, including those who had not received bills, to contact its customer service team for assistance.
Customers can also submit meter readings through the USSD code *977# or the MyPower App, available on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
Kenya Power said it remained committed to addressing customer concerns while ensuring reliable electricity supply.
However, it urged customers to raise complaints through official channels and avoid actions that disrupt operations or compromise the safety of staff and other customers.
The utility warned that incidents that disrupt its operations would be addressed in accordance with the law.
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