Since 2016 a cartel of a few Kenya Power & Lighting Company (KPLC) have meted economic misery for nosiness in Wajir Town, Wajir County.
Hospitals and homes have not been spared as generator salespeople smile all the wy to the bank.
In 2020, residents protested the power blackouts after it became worse.
A source tells cnyakundi.com what has been happening in 2021.
Hello Cyprian, in wajir town, KPLC is running rogue business of siphoning fuel in the pretext of power rationing. This has been going for the last three months, and since nobody has bothered to confront them with the issue, they do it and will and continue to do so. Many sections of the town are in darkness except those areas where KPLC bosses reside, where there is 24hr electricity connection. please highlight this issue.
Kenya has abundant sources of energy and while firms like KenGen spearheads renewable and cheaper energy, KPLC charges Kenyans exorbitant prices.
It beats logic that a country with abundant solar, geothermal, and wind energy cannot sustain small towns.
The thermal electricity producers must be charged for economic marginalization.
READ: IMPEACHED: Senate removes corrupt Wajir County Governor Mohamed Abdi
Using fossil fuel to produce electricity in 2021 is archaic and backward.
Kenyans need to join behind causes of energy justice.
Light at the end of the tunnel
In 2018, Kenya Govt seriously considered terminating the contract with expensive Independent Power Producers (IPP) who mostly use fossil fuel or thermal means to produce electricity.
Terminating the expensive Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) will help bring down the cost of power.
For example, KenGen will sell electricity to KPLC at Sh10, but KPLC will add tax, fuel levies, and other looting mechanisms to sell the same unit at Sh100.
This had made the country’s business environment non-competitive.
There’s so much talk and little action.
Hospitals in Wajir County are struggling to keep diabetic, kidney disease patients and those in maternity wards alive due to the use of expensive diesel generators.
Kenya Power has 12 IPPs, namely Iberafrica Power, Tsavo Power, Thika Power, BioJuole Kenya Limited, Mumias-Cogeneration, OrPower 4., abai Power, Imenti Tea Factory Hydro, Gikira Hydro, Triumph Power, Gulf Power, and Regen-Terem Hydro.
Most of the PPAs are foreign funded and their tariffs are denominated on the dollar which pushes up the cost of electricity.
This is horrible situation in the county I wonder how can a modern county develop without the cornerstone of development. It is now impossible to start any business that relys on power in this county, industrialization depends on power, so how can a single county be eliminated from the national agenda with fools like Ruto making lies in national television about power solutions in the county. Other useless mouths like Adan Keynan appears during campaigns for votes while they leave their people to languish in poverty, joblessness and hopelessness – Xheine Yneve, Wajir Town resident
Dilly dallying on termination of the PPAs has costed Kenyans.
Ketraco, which is mandated to build supply lines is also full of looting and hence for some time resident of Wajir Town will continue to suffer in the hands of thermal means of producing power.
The next president must end this foolishness.
