Crackdown on Kenya Power a success in anti-graft war

A recent case unearthed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reveals a major scheme at Kenya Power to defraud millions of Kenyans of their hard earned money.

Kenya Power, which supplies electricity to most Kenyans has been caught up in one of 2019’s largest graft scandals. 

The DCI’s Serious Crime Unit uncovered a network of Kenya Power executives, staff, customers and contractors that are accused of colluding to defraud Kenyans since April 2019. Many are already facing chargers, and more are likely to do so in the coming weeks. 

In April, Kenyans on social media began to complain about inflated power bills. Using the hashtag #SwitchOffKPLC, they alerted the DCI of something suspicious.

This is a true testament to the power of social media to unite people and allow our voices to be heard. It is also a reflection of the collective responsibility to stop corruption.

The Kenya Power scheme involved Information and Communications Technology employees allowing outsiders access to the organisation’s private information.

The DCI’s primary suspect is one Mr Edgar Ojienda, who worked as a contractor for the firm between 2014 and 2017.

He is accused of using his connections at the company to defraud millions of unsuspecting customers.

Mr Ojienda and a group of fellow fraudsters are said to have manipulated both pre-paid and post-paid systems by doctoring accounts and inflating power bills.

In one example, a local company was defrauded of Sh1.2 million after Kenya Power staff changed M-Pesa reference numbers.

In 2018, an audit found that Kenya Power lost Sh65 million on transactions.

These anomalies were uncovered after IT experts unearthed problems in the firm’s billing system.

Now that the fraudsters have been tracked down by the DCI, we can rest assured the right measures will be put in place to ensure Kenya Power is better regulated and all those responsible are brought to justice.

This is but one example of how corruption affects Kenyans.

Many of us have received electricity bills way above our consumption levels.  

However, due to the government’s anti-corruption campaign, we are now much wiser about the perils of graft. 

The BBI notes that corruption goes beyond seeping through the legal system without being shut down. It is deeply embedded in our social fabric. 

As a society, we have in the past lacked the tools and the ethos to stop graft. As an African country, the unfortunate reality is that we have never been strangers to corruption.

But it also affects wealthy countries in Europe and North America. 

In the US, it is unlikely that a major power company could overcharge customers without any kind of oversight or regulation. Graft is a global problem, but Kenya is at the forefront to tame it.

It is our responsibility to the world to show that Kenya does not tolerate graft.  

This is perhaps one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s major achievements. He has empowered the DCI and the DPP who are now able to crack down on individuals, syndicates and companies that previously seemed untouchable.