KPLC dismisses Nairobi County’s wayleave claims,demands Ksh. 3B payment

In a dramatic escalation of the conflict, the utility company criticized the county's actions, which included officials clamping company vehicles, blocking entrances, and dumping trash at its Stima Plaza headquarters.

In a Monday statement, KPLC referred to the county's actions as "unethical, unprofessional, and unlawful," claiming that its operations are guided by the law. 

The company cited Section 223 of the 2019 Energy Act, which prohibits public bodies from charging levies on energy infrastructure without the Cabinet Secretary's written consent.

By this provision, KPLC argues that the county has no legal standing to demand wayleave payments.

KPLC further claimed that the Nairobi County Government has failed to honor a structured repayment plan agreed upon in December 2024, where Governor Johnson Sakaja committed to settling part of the county’s debt in monthly installments. 

The company noted that, while the county was expected to pay Ksh. 60 million for old debts and Ksh. 50 million for current bills each month, it only paid Ksh. 36 million in January 2025—far less than the Ksh. 330 million required to cover three months' worth of bills.

After exhausting all diplomatic options, KPLC stated that it was forced to turn off electricity to several county facilities on February 14, 2025, a move that was met with swift retaliation. 

Days later, county officials cut off water supply to KPLC's offices and substations, despite the fact that the company had no outstanding water bills.

However, the county maintains that KPLC is to blame, accusing it of failing to pay billions of dollars in wayleave fees for using public land and infrastructure for its power lines.

Nairobi County Secretary Godfrey Akumali insists that the power utility violated Legal Notice No. 4894 of 2001, which requires all service providers to pay wayleave fees. He claims that KPLC has ignored numerous requests for payment dating back to 2002, despite aggressively enforcing payments from its own customers.

The county has also expressed concerns about KPLC leasing its utility poles to internet service providers including Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Telkom Kenya, and Safaricom.

County officials argue that KPLC has profited from these transactions while refusing to pay the required wayleave fees, citing a clear case of double standards.

In response to the impasse, county officials staged a protest by dumping truckloads of garbage at KPLC's headquarters, blocking access to the building, and clamping both business and personal vehicles.

They also issued threats to withhold essential services such as garbage collection until KPLC clears its outstanding debt.