If I go to heaven and find a Kenya Power person there, I’ll know I’m in hell – Kilgoris MP
Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli has faulted the Kenya Power Company for the high cost of electricity bills. Mr Sunkuli, who made a comeback to Parliament after 20 years during last year’s General Election, said not only are power bills exorbitant but the company’s customer service is also wanting.
Speaking during the National Assembly proceedings, Mr Sunkuli said there is no consistency in the bills electricity consumers are charged every month.
He further lamented that the cost of electricity for one living in a small apartment in Nairobi is equal to that of someone who runs an industry on Mombasa road.
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“It is not consistent. If all of you live in an apartment block one is paying Sh2,000 another one is Sh20,000. When are we going to get a more consistent way probably not manual at all?” Sunkuli asked.
The former Internal Security Minister compared the days when the National Youth Service (NYS) would read the power meters and how Kenyans got their bills as per their consumption and the complaints were not as much as they are now.
“There is no formula in reading the meter boxes. One time I said if I go to heaven and find a Kenya Power person there, I will know I’m in hell. Because how do you go to heaven under these circumstances? You are reaping off the people of Kenya and saying you are doing your job. This monopoly has to end,” he said.
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Kenyans have been complaining about high power bills ever since the charges went high up for prepaid customers and unreasonable bills for postpaid customers.
Kenya Power has since last year been experiencing supply hitches for prepaid meters. The firm had 9.01 million customers as of December last year from 8.91 million in June, a paltry one per cent rise reflecting how the meter shortage has hurt efforts to grow the customer base and sales.
Kenya Power has, however, not made public the number of customers whose connections have been delayed due to the supply hitches.
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