Kenya
Electricity grid connection company Kenya Power has begun to weed out illegal
connection that has gone viral in the country.
In
a countrywide campaign rolled on Thursday at Imara Daima estate in Nairobi, the
company plans to curb illegal connections and theft of electricity.
The
campaign is jointly conducted by Kenya Power staff and security agencies
including the police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers.
The
crackdown comes about two months after the Company rolled out the ‘Know Your
Meter’ initiative that is meant to increase customer satisfaction, ensure
public safety and enhance its revenue protection initiatives.
The
company said that due to illegal connections, individuals have opted to engage
in criminal activities that undermine the quality of power supply such as
illegal power connections, theft of power and vandalism of electricity supply
equipment among others.
“Today’s
operation is meant to address these vices and mark a new dawn into how we will
conduct our business moving forward. Our
main focus is to ensure all power connections to our customers are safe and
that the power is provided as required by law,” said Kenya Power’s Managing
Director & CEO, Bernard Ngugi.
The
CEO added that the company will do this through identification of the sources
of illegal connections, discontinue these supplies and thereafter install
lawful supplies that the customers can enjoy.
“We
will intensify these crackdowns not just in Nairobi but the rest of the country
with subsequent rollout of the campaign in all our regions,” the CEO added.
Mr.
Ngugi said, illegal power connections pose a danger of electrocution not just
to the beneficiary but the public at large adding that such present a loophole
for revenue loss to the Company.
State of Nairobi
slums
“I
would like to urge members of the public to follow the right procedure to apply
and pay for electricity connection and desist from any illegal connections. It
is a criminal offence to steal electricity, tamper with meters or engage in
illegal connections,”
“Illegal
connections are also unsafe as they are not subjected to the required standards
and may cause harm or fatalities. Additionally theft and vandalism of
electricity supply equipment is an economic crime under the Energy Act with
minimum fines Kshs 5 million or imprisonment of 10 years or both on
conviction,” said Mr. Ngugi.
He
added that the Company is working closely with investigating agencies to unmask
persons involved in illegal activities with the aim of prosecuting them in
court as provided by law.
Illegal
power connection have been rampant in the country, especially in slum areas.
Dubbed
“Sambaza” the power supply in this areas are transmitted to residents who pay
monthly charges to people they refer to as agents.
A
good example was served on Thursday, even as hundreds of families in Mukuru kwa
Njenga slum were left in darkness the Power company dismantled an illegal power
selling racket.
A
200 KVA ground-mounted transformer that had been hidden in a small stonewalled
building from where illegal connections originated, was discovered by the power
officers in the area.
Other
slum areas that are likely to be hit hard by the crackdown include Kibra,
Kawangware, Mathare, among others.
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