Kenya’s sole electricity distributor Kenya Power is counting losses after it emerged that close to 900 transformers supplied in the Coast region in the past eight years were faulty.
This was revealed by former Coast regional manager for Kenya Power Hezekiah Mwalwala, who acknowledged that 897 transformers supplied between 2010 and 2018 were faulty. However, Mwalwala steered away from blaming the manufacturer, the supplier, Kenya Power or former managing director Ben Chumo.
The company incurred a loss of Ksh408.5 million in the transaction, something that landed Chumo in court.
According to Mwalwala, some transformers were damaged while being transported while others were destroyed by trees or failed because of manufacturing or system defects or vandalism.
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“Some fail because of the way they are handled while being ferried from Nairobi to the Coast,” he said.
Some of the transformers failed the company’s own quality tests, were of poor build, were made of poor quality materials, and were leaking oil and losing too much power.
In 2020, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji ordered the arrest of senior Kenya Power managers over alleged economic crime related to the purchase of the transformers.
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Among those facing charges for the loss include former Kenya Power Managing Director Ken Tarus, Beatrice Meso (former company secretary), K.P. Mungai, Joshua Mutua, Abubakar Swaleh, Samuel Ndirangu, Stanley Mutwiri, Benson Muriithi, Peter Mwicigi and John Ombui.
The directors of Muwa trading company are also facing charges of supplying 327 faulty transformers out of 501 supplied in May 22, 2015. The directors include James Mungai, Grace Mungai and John Mungai.
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