The Chairperson of President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisors David Ndii has noted that electricity tariffs will not be reduced anytime soon.
Ndii warned Kenyans in comments that sparked a raging online debate that they must choose between expensive electricity available all day or cheaper electricity available for only a few hours a day.
Electricity prices are expected to rise by up to 78 percent starting in April if the energy sector regulator approves new tariffs from Kenya Power that seek to eliminate the monthly subsidy that helps poor households.
“On power bills, we have two choices. Costly power is available 24/7, or cheap power is available a few hours a day, like in South Africa. If you cared to peruse our manifesto, you would have noted that cheap power does not feature in our pledges on electricity,” Ndii wrote on Twitter.
Ndii pointed out that Ruto’s manifesto did not promise cheap electricity, and the listed investments were medium-term and would not reduce tariffs anytime soon. He noted that the high cost of electricity was influenced by the aging transmission and distribution network.
“Take time to understand what you read. I have said we did not promise “cheap power” Bring down cost here refers of production costs not tariffs. The listed are heavy medium-term capital investments that will not bring down tariffs anytime soon,” he explained.
Ruto promised to revamp the transmission and distribution network, accelerate geothermal resources development, and develop a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) storage facility in Mombasa, which he believed would lower the cost of electricity.
“Bringing down the cost here refers to production costs, not tariffs. The listed are heavy medium-term capital investments that will not bring down tariffs anytime soon,” Ndii tweeted.
Kenya Power is prosing to reduce the threshold for accessing the monthly power subsidy equivalent to a 24.1% discount from 100 kilowatt hours to the proposed 30 units.
It wants to increase the cost of a power unit for the usage of less than 30 kilowatts per month to KES 28.01 a unit, up from the current Ksh 20.70, reflecting a growth of 35.3%.
His remarks come against the backdrop of complaints by Kenyans over the rising cost of electricity.
