Every once in a while, a parliamentary audit report emerges that forces the country to confront the uncomfortable truth about how public utilities are being run.
This week’s grilling of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) by the Public Investments Committee (PIC) is one such moment—and it should alarm every Kenyan who has ever paid a power bill, waited for a connection, or lived through a blackout.
This isn’t just about numbers. Yes, over KSh 10.2 billion in “network management expenses” was flagged. Yes, more than 9,000 projects have stalled since 2018.
Yes, fraudulent contractor payments and untraceable prepaid meters worth over a billion shillings were discovered. But at the heart of all this is a deeper issue: a utility company that has systematically failed the public while operating with little urgency or humility.
Consider this: while Kenyans are urged to be energy-efficient and pay bills on time—or face disconnections—KPLC’s board held 90 meetings in one year, far above the legally allowed maximum of six for state corporations.
No additional budget was approved for this boardroom marathon. Meanwhile, rural households are still waiting for basic connections, and entire infrastructure projects lie abandoned.
KPLC’s CEO, Dr. Joseph Siror, argued that the flurry of board meetings was part of a turnaround strategy. But how does one turn around a ship by drilling more holes in the hull? For all the talk of strategic guidance, what Kenyans see are soaring tariffs, inconsistent service, and shrinking accountability.
Take the Last Mile Connectivity Project—a flagship initiative meant to transform access to power in underserved areas.
Despite spending 63% of the KSh 44.8 billion loan, barely 40% of the intended households have been reached.
This is more than inefficiency; it’s neglect, wrapped in mismanagement, and funded by the taxpayer.
Equally worrying is the KSh 272.3 billion in property, plant, and equipment with glaring reporting errors.
How does a utility firm forget to remove assets from its books after handing them over to counties? It speaks to a broken reporting culture and poor asset tracking.
But the worst failure is moral. KPLC is not a private monopoly—it’s a national lifeline. It lights homes, powers schools and hospitals, and drives small businesses. When it stumbles, the whole country limps.
The Committee, chaired by Hon. David Pkosing, has promised to recommend legal and administrative reforms. That’s welcome. But reforms must start with accountability.
Those who allowed this decay—whether through corruption, incompetence, or willful ignorance—must face consequences.
The Ministry of Energy must also take responsibility. Oversight is not a press release—it is persistent, proactive, and people-centered.
Unless the entire chain of command is made to answer for this mess, we risk turning KPLC into a bottomless pit of bailouts and broken promises.
Ultimately, this is a wake-up call. Not just for KPLC, but for every public agency that has forgotten its duty to citizens.
Kenyans are not just tired—they are angry. And they deserve a utility that works, not one that hides behind excuses while bleeding the country dry.