Renowned Kenyan actress Sandra Dacha, known for her role in the popular TV show Real Househelps of Kawangware, sparked a conversation among Kenyans when she expressed her frustration with the increasing costs of purchasing electricity tokens that seem to provide fewer units and last for shorter durations.
In a social media post, Dacha reminisced about the past, recalling how in 2016, a purchase of 1000 Kenyan shillings would yield 80 electricity units. However, over time, she noticed a significant decline in the number of units received for the same amount. The decline continued gradually, reaching as low as 29 units, which barely lasted for four days.
Dacha questioned whether she was the only one experiencing this issue, or if others were facing the same problem of diminishing electricity tokens.
The post attracted responses from Kenyans who shared similar concerns and offered various life hacks to cope with the rising costs and fewer units sold by Kenya Power.
Some suggested purchasing larger amounts of tokens at once to take advantage of occasional offers and bonuses. Others shared their own experiences of receiving fewer units despite paying higher amounts. Many expressed frustration with the situation and sought explanations from Kenya Power.
Blame was also directed towards President William Ruto and the Finance Bill 2023, which was anticipated to increase fuel costs and subsequently lead to higher electricity prices.
The conversation unfolded against the backdrop of the energy regulation sector's recent decision to raise electricity prices by up to 63% at the beginning of June 2023. Kenya Power justified the price increase as necessary to generate revenue for upgrading the aging distribution systems and achieving a target of Sh 177 billion in revenue for the 2022/2023 financial year. The new pricing structure included higher rates for different consumption levels, with the base power price rising to Sh 12.22 per unit for those consuming below 30 units and reaching Sh 20.97 per unit for consumers using 100 or more units.