A fierce standoff between Nairobi City County and Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has sparked outrage, prompting Parliament to summon Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja. The dispute, which escalated when county officials allegedly dumped garbage outside KPLC’s headquarters at Stima Plaza in Ngara, has been widely condemned as criminal behavior.
On Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula criticized the police for failing to act against those responsible. “We are going to summon the Inspector General to appear before the committee next week,” Wetang’ula stated. He emphasized that the act violated multiple laws, including environmental regulations, the Health Act, the Penal Code, and other parliamentary statutes.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu MP) and Minority Leader Junet Mohamed (Suna East MP) joined in condemning the incident, calling for accountability at all levels. Junet, in particular, questioned the role of law enforcement in preventing such acts.
“What we have seen around Stima Plaza is nothing short of criminal. As I watched the news last night, I kept asking myself: where are the police? The IG must take decisive action, starting with the truck drivers who dumped the garbage,” Junet remarked.
He further insisted that responsibility should be traced up the chain of command. “From the drivers to those who instructed them—even if it leads all the way to the governor—it should not matter. We cannot entertain criminality under the guise of recovering debts from public institutions,” he added.
The dispute reportedly stems from unpaid bills between the Nairobi County Government and KPLC. However, lawmakers warned that resorting to illegal means to settle disputes sets a dangerous precedent. “Our constituents are waiting for bursaries, others for Grade 9 classrooms through NGCDF. If everyone took matters into their own hands like this, would we still have a country?” Junet questioned.
In response, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja distanced himself from the incident, dismissing it as an “unfortunate event” that was being addressed internally. After meeting with Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei at City Hall, Sakaja announced that the county government and KPLC had reached a truce.
Despite the truce, the fallout from the incident continues, with Parliament keen on ensuring accountability. The IG’s response in the coming days will be closely watched as pressure mounts on law enforcement to take action against those responsible.
