Kenya Power Employs Over 300 New Workers As It Resumes Mass Hiring

• Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) recruited 389 technicians and craftsmen as of June 2023 to enhance its service delivery
• The utility firm further translated the employment terms of more than 1,000 workers from short-term contracts to five-year contracts
• KPLC said the move is aimed at meeting the demand of its growing number of customers, currently at 9.2 million users

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia brings over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has resumed mass recruitment of new staff to cater to the growing number of customers.

KPLC recruited 389 technicians and craftsmen in the financial year ending June 2023, compared to the previous year.

In November 2023, the firm announced plans to recruit over 400 interns to collect and verify meter data.

Why is KPLC recruiting more workers?

According to the financial year 2022/23 report, the utility firm translated employment terms for 1,373 employees from short-term to five-year contracts.

"This was done with improvements to their terms of employment. The recruitment of 389 technicians and craftsmen was aimed at reinforcing the Company’s field operations.

"The Board has provided oversight, to ensure prudent management of resources, enhance efficiency, and improve employee productivity for better service delivery, improved customer experience, and business performance," said KPLC board chair Joy Brenda Masinde.

The recruitment of new staff saw the KPLC staff number grow to 10,018, with a female-to-male ratio of 3:6.

Kenya Power also facilitated staff training, with 62% of employees taking part in the exercise.

What is the current number of KPLC customers?

This came as the number of KPLC customers grew to 9.2 million during the same period under review.

The utility firm connected 318,217 new customers to the grid during the period.

"Our accelerated procurement and connectivity drive will see the backlog of 320,000 customers awaiting connection furnished with new meters and connected by the end of this calendar year," the report read in part.

In October 2023, Kenya Power announced plans to increase its customer base across the country.

The company launched a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), targeting to connect over 320,000 new customers.

It said it had solved all issues relating to the procurement of connection materials.