(Nairobi) – Kenya Power employees, in collaboration with security guards and fuel tanker drivers, have been implicated in the theft of over 1.18 million litres of diesel worth Sh207.65 million, intended for powering off-grid stations in Turkana County. This theft occurred over a span of 26 months, from October 2021 to December 2023, according to an audit report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.
Kenya Power operates 15 off-grid stations across the country, providing electricity to areas not connected to the national power grid. These stations have a combined installed capacity of 27.867 megawatts. However, an internal investigation found that a significant quantity of fuel meant to power these stations was unaccounted for. The missing diesel, which amounts to 1,183,583 litres, was valued at Sh207.65 million.
The Auditor-General’s report revealed that several Kenya Power employees, along with security personnel and fuel tanker drivers, were found responsible for the theft. Despite the findings, Kenya Power has yet to expand the investigation into other counties with similar off-grid stations, even though the same tanker drivers were supplying diesel to those areas as well.
In response to the theft, Kenya Power has sent a demand letter to the fuel supplier involved. However, when approached by Business Daily for comments, Kenya Power’s Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Siror, denied any knowledge of employee theft on such a scale. Dr. Siror did acknowledge an ongoing investigation into the possibility of short deliveries by the fuel supplier, emphasizing that the matter remains under review.
The theft is concerning for Kenyan consumers as it directly impacts electricity prices. The cost of running the off-grid stations, including fuel for the generators, is passed on to consumers through the Fuel Energy Charge. This charge is reviewed monthly by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and is one of the largest fuel cost components, second only to the consumption charge.
This is not the first instance of theft involving Kenya Power employees. In the 2022/23 financial year, some workers were found to have irregularly issued meters worth Sh17.47 million in the Central Rift Valley region. Despite these findings, Kenya Power’s management has not provided clear evidence of measures to prevent similar issues in the future or to assess whether such schemes exist in other regions.