City Hall opts for generators as Sakaja fails to pay Kenya Power

Governor Johnson Sakaja delivers the annual State of the County Address in Nairobi City County Assembly on February 11, 2026. [David Gichuru, Standard]

For about two weeks now, a section of City Hall has been turned into an industrial area with noisy generators roaring from several corners to keep hundreds of offices lit.

This was after Kenya Power disconnected the supply to City Hall over unpaid power bills running into billions that have been ballooning for years.

More puzzling is that the generators don't run the whole day owing to high fuel cost in a move that has forced some staff to spend about five hours in the offices before they are switched off until the following day.

"The most affected is City Hall Annex because the generators are switched from 9 pm to around 2 pm in some areas, yet we are supposed to work for about eight hours and serve Nairobi residents but it is no longer the case," a staff said.

"The noise from the generators sometimes makes it difficult to work in some offices that's why some staff have been absent, waiting for the matter to be resolved," another staff said.

Some of the crucial offices affected include revenue offices, customer service centre, among other offices where hundreds of residents visit on a daily basis seeking service.

In some offices, use of elevators has been reduced, with some staff and Nairobians checking in for services forced to use stairs going up to 10th floor.

At the centre of the dispute between Kenya Power and City Hall is an estimated 3 billion power bill that the Sakaja administration is has not paid the power company despite an agreement last year.

The Power company accuses Governor Johnson Sakaja of failing to honour the agreement, yet the administration collects revenue running to millions daily.

Last year's spat resulted in an ugly ending after the Sakaja administration deposited garbage outside Stima Plaza before an agreement was reached.

The move included blocking of sewer lines and water services at the Kenya Power building, eliciting uproar among Kenyans on how the matter was handled obnoxiously.

"It is true that we disconnected City Hall because the county has not honoured the agreement that was established in 2024," a Kenya Power official told The Standard.

"Unlike other counties, we struggle a lot when it comes to power bills, they don't pay anything at all," he added.

Following the tussle about the power bills last year, the National Assembly Committee on Energy stepped in to address but it appears that a long-term solution is yet to be found.

At the time, City Hall accused Kenya Power of refusing to pay Sh4.8 billion for wayleave fees, stating that the utility company was profiting from public infrastructure while refusing to settle its obligations.

Nairobi County Acting Secretary Godfrey Akumali had not responded to our inquiry over prolonged darkness in City Hall.

However, last year the county claimed KPLC owes them Sh4.8 billion, accusing the company of making profits and announcing them publicly, yet they can’t pay their dues.

In 2016, City Hall moved to court seeking an order blocking Kenya Power from disconnecting electricity supply to its facilities until the case was heard and determined.

Before that, the utility company had threatened to disconnect power to crucial facilities such as Pumwani Hospital, City Aall Annex, Mama Lucy Hospital and public schools. [Pkemoi Ng’enoh]