Kalonzo slams Ruto over hike in electricity cost
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday, January 11 joined Kenyans on social media to call out the Kenya Kwanza government over a hike in electricity prices.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the former vice president and Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition co-principal said the increase in electricity cost by 16 per cent was a clear indication that President William Ruto's administration had failed to tame the rising cost of living.
"The 16% increase in tokens by @KenyaPower is the latest unacceptable burden on tired, hungry and angry Kenyans. This is a clear example of the KK regime's inability to address the cost of living. They want to leave us in the dark, but I am telling them, know kuna nuru gizani," Kalonzo wrote.
The 16% increase in tokens by @KenyaPower is the latest unacceptable burden on tired, hungry and angry Kenyans. This is the cleared example of the KK regime's inability to address the cost of living. They want to leave us in the dark, but I am telling them, know kuna nuru gizani.— Kalonzo Musyoka (@skmusyoka) January 11, 2024
Other Kenyans also expressed their frustrations on social media, noting that Kenya Power was dispensing fewer tokens compared to what they used to receive last year.
"This increase is very strange… if thermal power input has reduced by 50% meaning more hydropower dispatch how can the fuel cost charge increase? We live in strange times," former Bonchari MP Pavel Oimeke, who also served as director general of Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) between 2017 and 2021, lamented.
"Our dams are full and overflowing. Expectations were that power would be cheap since hydropower would be given priority over power generation from diesel generators. And to make it more surprising is that oil prices are dropping globally. What factor affects token price in Kenya?" Dan Mboya posed.
The increase in power costs follows EPRA's decision to raise fuel and foreign charges on the commodity this month, leading to Kenyans paying as much as 16.5 per cent more in electricity costs.
In its power prices review this month, EPRA increased the energy charge by 8.7 per cent to Ksh4.33 per unit up from Ksh3.98 in December.
