- Mudavadi said ISC will conduct a comprehensive and unbiased investigation in collaboration with relevant government agencies.
- He stated that the current cost of living crunch should be a good reason for accurate billing.
Image: PCSP
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has dispatched the Inspectorate of State Corporations (ICS) to investigate reports that Kenya Power has been inflating bills.
ICS, which falls under the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, will base its investigations on an adverse Report by the Auditor-General.
The report relates to inflated electricity bills and discrepancies in billing practices, which have led to consumers being overcharged by up to 20 percent for power they did not use.
In particular, the Auditor-General has reported that there are mismatches between billed amounts and actual consumption, as well as extra charges that cannot be traced in the billing system.
“Given ISC’s mandate to uphold accountability and transparency in State Corporations, ISC has invoked its powers under the State Corporations Act (Chapter 446 of the Laws of Kenya) to initiate a thorough investigation into the matter,” Mudavadi said in a statement.
Section 18(2) of the Act empowers ISC inspectors to call for and inspect records, documents, and premises of any State Corporation.
“This action is in line with government commitment to safeguard public interest and assure accountability across State corporations,” Mudavadi stated.
He said ISC will conduct a comprehensive and unbiased investigation in collaboration with relevant law, order and justice institutions, including the Office of the Auditor General, the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Mudavadi said cultivating public trust and upholding the highest standards of governance and accountability in government is a cardinal rule of thumb for public officers.
“Theft of public funds – whether held in trust by Government or belonging to citizens directly - tarnishes public confidence in government institutions and undermines the socio-economic well-being of our nation,” he stated.
He said the government is committed in the endeavor to safeguard the interests of the Kenyan people.
He stated that the current cost of living crunch should be a good reason for accurate billing.
“We appreciate the public’s support and cooperation in our collective efforts to ensure that State entities serve the best interests of the Kenyan people. We will not second guess ourselves on this matter,” he added.
Mudavadi encouraged Kenyans who may possess relevant information related to any irregularities at Kenya Power to come forward and share with the investigation team.
Last week, the Auditor General told MPs Kenya Power has been inflating electricity bills in what has seen consumers overcharged by up to 20 per cent for the power they did not use.
Appearing before National Assembly’s Committee on Energy, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu said a forensic review of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity found bills do not match actual consumption while extra charges loaded on the consumers by the utility are not traceable in the billing system.
The Auditor General said they discovered cases of check meters lacking, faulty check meters and discrepancies between the check meters and the main meters leading to consumers being given bills that are not reflected in their meters.