Nairobi County Crack Down on Kenya power over ksh 4.8b Debt
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Nairobi City County has launched an aggressive enforcement operation against Kenya Power over unpaid land rates amounting to more than Ksh 4.8 billion.
The standoff escalated early Monday morning when county officials arrived at Stima Plaza, the company’s headquarters, with garbage trucks, blocking all entry and exit points. Shortly after, water supply was disconnected, sewer lines were sealed, and several vehicles parked at the premises were towed to the county yard.
By mid-morning, chaos had erupted outside the kplc offices as employees and visitors found themselves stranded.
At the heart of the dispute is Nairobi County’s longstanding demand for wayleave payments, which officials argue Kenya Power has neglected for years.
Speaking to Nairobi Cec Finance Charles kerich,the county insists that the power distributor has been using its land without settling the required fees, despite multiple notices and deadlines.
“Kplc should just pay our balance, because 4.8b is a lot of money,our todays action is just simply to tell the kplc management that you pay what belongs to us then we move on ,”Kerich said.
Documents from City Hall reveal that the arrears date back to 2016 and have accumulated annually.
Initially, the county charged a modest rate, but recent policy adjustments have pushed the outstanding debt to the current Ksh 4.8 billion.
A letter from the County Chief Officer for Revenue Administration had set a firm deadline for Kenya Power to settle the debt, but with no payment forthcoming, county officials say they had no choice but to act.
“We have been patient, but Kenya Power has ignored every warning. There will be no further notices—enforcement will continue until they comply,” said a senior county official.
The operation signals Nairobi County’s firm stance on revenue collection, with officials vowing to take similar measures against other defaulting entities.
Kenya Power has yet to issue an official response, but sources indicate that crisis meetings are underway to resolve the standoff.
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