NAIROBI – Machakos County Government has undertaken a comprehensive electricity meter audit and verification exercise to identify legitimate meters registered under the county and prevent fraudulent billing. The audit revealed that 383 account meters with a debt of over Sh65 million were physically verified, while 487 account meters with a debt exceeding Sh29 million were not verified.

According to Kenya News Agency, Nathaniel Nganga, the County Executive for Lands, Housing, Urban Development, and Energy, highlighted concerns about the county’s high electricity bills, citing instances where other parties were incurring charges on the county’s account with Kenya Power Company (KPC).

For example, Nganga mentioned a meter stolen at the Tala bus park, which, despite being reported, is still actively used in Machakos County. Additionally, he pointed out that 19-meter numbers in Mwala constituency, accounting for a Sh2 million bill, were used by the local National Government Constituency Fund (NG-CDF) but billed to the county.

As a result of these findings, the county has directed KPC to disconnect 442 unverified meter numbers to mitigate soaring electricity costs. Nganga warned government agencies benefiting from the county’s power connections to apply for their own connections within a month or face disconnection.

Nganga also called on the public to report any stolen meters, as many have been found in private use, with charges attributed to the county. He lamented that several meters were being issued in the county government’s name without proper authorization.

To address these challenges and reduce costs, the county is transitioning to solar power under the Solar Mulika Mwizi program, aiming to install solar-powered floodlights and streetlights in every market per ward. This shift towards renewable energy aligns with the county’s commitment to sustainable and cost-effective power solutions.