Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has revealed that City Hall's commercial disputes, including the ongoing one with Kenya Power, will now be resolved directly with Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
Speaking after a meeting that was chaired by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei between him, Kenya Power officials and CS Wandayi, he said that the warring bodies will now resolve matters amicably.
"We agreed that commercial disputes will be resolved between myself and Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi. The Inter-governmental technical committee will also come in to resolve," he said Wednesday.
He also said he has directed that water supply be restored to Kenya Power offices and garbage trucks that were blocking access to their premises be removed, adding that it was not their intention to dump trash.
"It's unfortunate that one of our trucks tipped garbage. That was not the intention. And that is why in less than 30 minutes all that garbage was collected. That's not how Nairobi County operates," Mr Sakaja said.
Meanwhile, a judge was expected to decide whether she will issue orders compelling Nairobi County to remove garbage trucks and restore water at Stima Plaza and other Kenya Power premises in a dispute over unpaid bills.
Justice Anne Omollo was to give the directions after getting a brief on the outcome of the meeting between Mr Koskei, Mr Sakaja, Kenya Power officials and CS Wandayi.
The utility firm and Kenya Power and Lighting Company Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme Registered Trustees rushed to court under a certificate of urgency, stating that the county government was yet to remove the garbage trucks, restore water and unblock the sewerage system at Stima Plaza, Electricity House among other premises.
Raw sewage outside Kenya Power offices in Nairobi CBD as feud with City Hall enters second day
The county government, through lawyer Duncan Okatch, maintained that the trucks were removed on Tuesday night and the meeting called by Mr Koskei would resolve the impasse.
“This court will give directions at 3 pm,” the judge said and directed Mr Okatch to file an affidavit stating the status of the premises and the outcome of the meeting.
In the petition, KP accused the county government of dumping mountains of garbage at all the entrances to its headquarters at Stima Plaza occasioning massive pollution and restricting movements in and out of the building.
The power utility firm added that the county government officials confiscated its 10 motor vehicles without justification and unreasonably disconnected the water supply as well as blocked the sewer system to the premises yet all the water bills have been paid.
KP added that instead of settling the electricity bills of about Sh2.9 billion, which is due the county government resorted to dumping garbage at the entrance of Stima plaza and completely cutting off movement into the premises.
The company said the confiscation of the motor vehicles disconnecting of the water supply and blocking of the sewer system to the premises was “evidence of malice, immaturity, abuse of office and abuse of discretion and power” on the part of the county government.
Through lawyer Ms Nicole Kihara, KP said the county government had an outstanding electricity bill to the tune of Sh1.68 billion as of January 2025.
She said the amount was exclusive of another debt of Sh1.27 billion, which was pending verification and reconciliations.
Ms Kihara said the county government had acknowledged the debt in a letter on February 20, 2025, and undertook to settle the outstanding amounts, and KP reconnected power at City Hall.
Through Prof Albert Mumma, the retirement scheme the action by the county government was punishing other tenants of the building who had nothing to do with the dispute.
The scheme, which owns the building, said KP was one of the many tenants at Stima Plaza and the dumping of toxic, hazardous and untreated garbage and waste materials at the entrance of the building was exposing tenants to health complications.
“The Respondents’ actions, which are extremely inhumane, have adversely exposed the over 4,000 Petitioner’s members of staff and the innocent tenants accommodated at the Petitioner’s premises as well as the general public to detrimental health complications,” the petition stated.
The county government and the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company filed an objection to the case being heard before the environmental court but should have been referred to the environment tribunal.
