The High Court has dismissed a suit that aimed to block Kenya Power from purchasing over 700,000 meters worth Sh5.4 billion.
This move would help the utility company reduce illegal supplies and unlock connections.
Justice Jairus Ngaah’s ruling stated that Kenya Power cannot be held accountable for limiting the tender to local manufacturers and assemblers to promote domestic entrepreneurship.
The tender, first advertised over a year ago, was challenged by Niavana Agencies Limited, who claimed that the restriction of bidders excluded ‘citizen contractors.’
This caused a freeze on the tender, resulting in more than half a million customers being unable to make new connections or replacements for faulty or stolen meters.
This, in turn, led to an increase in illegal connections to the national grid, resulting in reduced revenue for Kenya Power.
