By Elvis Lagat
A confrontation unfolded outside the Nairobi offices of Kenya Power (KPLC) on Monday morning, following what the utility company’s management described as a retaliatory attack by the Nairobi County Government. The altercation began after the county government allegedly blocked a sewer line, causing waste to spill onto KPLC’s property. This move is said to be in retaliation to KPLC's decision to cut power supply to various Nairobi County offices due to outstanding electricity bills.
“We have also had some unfortunate incidents like disconnection of water and blockage of sewer lines, not only here at Stima Plaza but also in our other offices within Nairobi,” said one KPLC employee, speaking about the growing tensions.
At the same time, garbage trucks were seen arriving at the scene, with large piles of waste being dumped at the entrance of Stima Plaza, the headquarters of Kenya Power. KPLC also confirmed that several of its vehicles had been clamped by county officers over alleged unpaid parking fees.
The escalating standoff stems from a long-standing dispute between the two parties over unpaid electricity bills, which total Ksh 3.1 billion. In response to delayed payments, KPLC had disconnected power to several Nairobi County offices. While KPLC continued to supply electricity to the county, payments had been delayed for an extended period, prompting the company to take action.
Rosemary Oduor, KPLC’s General Manager for Commercial Services and Sales, explained that the dispute began two years ago when KPLC issued bills to the county, but no payments had been made.
"This morning, we had our work going on, then all of a sudden, we realized that there were County Government trucks with garbage. One of them came and dropped the garbage right in front of our offices at Stima Plaza. Several of them are still on standby around the building," Oduor stated, expressing frustration over the situation.
The confrontation has left KPLC employees at Stima Plaza in a state of confusion and frustration as they witnessed the unfolding altercation outside their offices. As tensions rise between the two entities, both the Nairobi County Government and Kenya Power are yet to reach a resolution, and the standoff continues to impact daily operations.
This latest episode underscores the ongoing power struggle between the county government and Kenya Power over unpaid bills and the use of municipal resources, which has now spilled into a public confrontation.
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