Woman faults Kenya Power after Sh200,000 bill despite Sh300 monthly spending

A woman has challenged Kenya Power over a Sh200,000 electricity bill, accusing the power distributor of failing to address a faulty meter she had reported repeatedly before the disputed charges accumulated over a two-year period.

The woman, who says she normally spent about Sh300 on electricity every month, expressed disbelief at the amount demanded from her, arguing that the company should take responsibility for the charges rather than transfer the burden to a customer who had sought help several times.

Her frustration was captured in a one-minute-and-45-second video that has been widely shared on social media, showing her confronting Kenya Power officials at the company's offices over what she described as unfair treatment and the failure to resolve her complaint.

During the confrontation, she questioned how her electricity account could attract such a huge amount when her usual consumption costs were relatively low.

She said Kenya Power had explained that the Sh200,000 bill was linked to a faulty meter but insisted that the problem had been reported long before the company eventually replaced the equipment.

"I complained, I complained, and it took too long before they changed that faulty meter. Now they are charging me Sh200,000. How fair is that?" she questioned.

The woman argued that customers should not be penalised for technical problems involving equipment maintained by the electricity distributor.

She maintained that replacing a defective meter was not her responsibility and faulted the company for taking too long to act despite her repeated visits to its offices seeking assistance.

"I am not the one who is supposed to change the meter. It is Kenya Power that is supposed to change the meter," she said.

She further questioned why she should be expected to settle charges that she believes arose from the company's delay in responding to her complaints.

The woman also appealed to other electricity consumers facing similar difficulties to raise their concerns and demand accountability rather than remain silent when confronted with disputed bills.

Her remarks have attracted considerable attention online, with Kenyans sharing their experiences and questioning how electricity billing disputes involving faulty meters are handled.

Some social media users urged the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to investigate the matter, arguing that consumers should not bear the financial consequences of delays by electricity providers in replacing defective equipment.

Others raised concerns about the treatment of customers who report billing irregularities but continue to face demands for payment before their complaints are resolved.

The incident has once again drawn attention to disputes between electricity consumers and Kenya Power, particularly over questionable bills, defective meters and delays in addressing complaints.