KPLC's Token Crisis Worsens With Close of Customer Care Platforms

Kenya Power Building in Nairobi CBD
Kenya Power Building in Nairobi CBD.
Twitter

Kenya Power Company, popularly known by its NSE ticker KPLC, has issued a statement noting that a hitch on its prepaid system and other services has worsened.

The statement sent out on Monday, April 16, midday indicated that a system failure had affected the operation of its customer care operations.

The hitch started on Sunday evening, April 25 and is preventing customer transactions in several areas including token purchases and payment of bills.

On Monday morning, KPLC initially indicated that the issue had been resolved and was only delaying due to a surge in demand. Two hours later, the firm announced that the problem had persisted and affected all its customer care services. 

Undated image of a customer keying in tokens in a prepaid electric meter.
A photo of a customer keying in tokens in a prepaid electric meter.
Kenyans.co.ke

"We are assing a technical problem that has affected our business operations since yesterday evening.

"The hitch is preventing customer transactions including bill queries, token purchases and payment of bills, " read the statement in part.

The power distribution company also noted that customer interactions through contact center telephone lines call line 97771 had also been affected.

Other services that had suffered the hitch included *977#, social media channels and banking hall operations.

There was an uproar both online and off after some consumers stayed without power for the whole night due to a hitch in the purchase system.

Kenya Power explained that the hitch was caused by a surge in transactions leading to tokens purchase delay.

Many Kenyans have been calling for the de-monopolisation of the power company since many who attempted to buy tokkens were being informed that 'organisation receiving the payment is unavailable'.

Kenya power is the only certified electric power distributor across the country.

Kenya Power staff working on electricity lines at Soysambu Conservancy on February 22, 2021
Kenya Power staff working on electricity lines at Soysambu Conservancy on February 22, 2021
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