Kenyans angered by delays in power tokens delivery

By Hilary Kimuyu

Pre-paid customers of Kenya Power Company are a disgruntled lot after being subjected to delays of up to 15 hours for their tokens to be generate in the past few days.

While Kenya Power has apologised and promised to rectify the situation, the latest anomaly has not endeared the company to its costumers who often feel overcharged for power consumption.

"We are experiencing a delay in token generation. However, the issue is currently receiving our attention. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience while we work to resolve the issue," the company said in a tweet.

Most of the complaints came from consumers who use virtual wallets like M-Pesa to buy their tokens.

These transactions usually generate 20 digit numbers which the customer then punches into the meter for an update of electricity credits.

POWER BILLS

The company has several numbers that one can use to purchase the tokens all of which have been experiencing the delays.

In the past, consumers of electricity have consistently complained about their power bills.

It is one the reasons that prepaid metering was adopted, besides helping to deal with electricity theft.

Still, complaints have persisted about 'faulty' meters and a complex pricing system by Kenya Power.

However, Kenya Power says different factors influence the billing system.

For example, the higher the amount of money used to purchase the units, the more expensive a unit costs, the company has explained.

This is because it is charged at commercial rates instead of private or home user.

SOURCE:NAIROBINEWS