100 staff members of the Kenya Power Lighting Company have been sacked in the past one year over fraudulent activities.
Company CEO Bernard Ngugi on Thursday revealed that the employees were fired for theft of electricity, among other crimes.
"In the past 12 months, we have had to lay off close to 100 staff members. They were fired for perpetrating fraudulent activities such as illegal connections, electricity theft, vandalism, collusions with fraudsters and cartels as well as conflict of interest," Ngugi said.
Ngugi bemoaned that theft of electricity and illegal connections continually eat into the company's revenue.
"Illegal connections cost 20 per cent of system losses at KPLC and so this is something we are determined to fight," Ngugi said.
He was speaking during an operation to weed out illegal electricity connections at Tassia stage in Pipeline area, Nairobi.
The operation, conducted in conjunction with Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers, is part of a wider war against illegal connections that began two months ago.
So far, Ngugi revealed, 630 people have been arrested and prosecuted out of who 115 have been convicted.
"Stealing of electricity attracts a fine of Sh1 million. Those who tamper or break electricity meters will be fined Sh50,000," he warned.
After the operation, Kenya Power will invite the local community for roundtable deliberations to sensitise them on dangers of illegal electricity connections.