A dramatic standoff unfolded outside the Nairobi offices of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) on Monday morning, following what the company described as a retaliatory attack by the Nairobi County Government. The confrontation stemmed from an ongoing dispute over unpaid electricity bills and alleged countermeasures taken by the county.
The tension escalated when the Nairobi County Government reportedly blocked a sewer line leading to waste spilling into KPLC’s premises. This action is believed to have been a response to Kenya Power’s decision to disconnect electricity supply to several Nairobi County offices over an unpaid debt amounting to Ksh3.1 billion.
Photos and videos that have since gone viral showed garbage trucks, belonging to the Nairobi County Government, blocking entryways to Stima Plaza, KPLC’s headquarters in Nairobi. Massive heaps of waste were dumped at the entrance, creating an unsanitary and chaotic scene.
In addition to the garbage blockade, several vehicles owned by KPLC were reportedly clamped by county government officers over claims of unpaid parking fees. This intensified the standoff, further disrupting operations at the company’s headquarters.
In a press statement issued at Stima Plaza, KPLC’s General Manager for Commercial Services and Sales, Rosemary Oduor, addressed the media, expressing frustration over the county government’s actions. “This morning, we had our work going on when suddenly County Government trucks arrived and dumped garbage right in front of our offices. Several of them remain on standby around the building,” Oduor stated.
Oduor explained that the dispute dates back two years when KPLC issued bills to the county government that have remained unpaid. Despite ongoing discussions and commitments from the county to settle the debt, the payments have not been made.
The county government’s response, which reportedly also included cutting water supply and blocking sewers at major offices, has raised concerns over the escalating nature of the standoff. Employees arriving for work on Monday morning were met with the shocking sight of garbage piles and blocked entryways, highlighting the extent of the conflict.
