By Mumo Judah
June 8, 2026
Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has announced plans to completely phase out physical payment counters in its banking halls by June 30, 2027, citing a sharp decline in over-the-counter transactions as more customers embrace digital services.
The utility said customer visits to payment halls have fallen by nearly 70 per cent in recent years due to the widespread adoption of self-service platforms, mobile money payments and online applications. The move forms part of Kenya Power’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing reliance on manual services.
According to the company, the closure of the payment counters will be implemented in three phases over the next year.
The first phase, scheduled for completion by the end of June 2026, will affect customer payment counters in Nyeri, Thika and Kisii. The second phase, set to conclude by December 31, 2026, will see the closure of counters at Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu Electricity House.
The final phase, which will culminate on June 30, 2027, will involve the closure of counters at Stima Plaza, Nairobi Electricity House and Mombasa Electricity House, effectively ending all over-the-counter payment services across the country.
The transition comes as Kenya Power intensifies its “Twende Digital” campaign, which seeks to migrate customers to online and mobile-based services. Under the new arrangement, customers will continue paying for electricity bills and tokens through digital channels, including mobile money platforms and self-service applications.
Acting Managing Director Jeremiah Kiplagat assured employees that the restructuring will not result in job losses. Instead, more than 1,500 front-facing staff members currently stationed at payment halls will undergo retraining and be redeployed to customer care and consumer education roles.
The company said the redeployment will strengthen customer support and improve public awareness on the use of digital platforms.
In a further shift towards digital service delivery, Kenya Power announced that all new electricity connection applications will now be processed exclusively through online channels. Customers seeking new connections will be required to apply through the KPLC Self-Service Portal, the *977# USSD platform or the MyPower mobile application.
Manual applications submitted at physical desks have officially been discontinued.
The latest changes are part of Kenya Power’s efforts to modernize operations and align with the government’s wider digital transformation agenda. The utility has in recent years invested heavily in automation and online customer service platforms as it seeks to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
The migration to digital services mirrors a growing trend across public institutions and private companies, which are increasingly adopting technology-driven solutions to deliver services more efficiently. However, the move is also expected to present challenges for customers unfamiliar with digital platforms, prompting calls for increased public awareness and support to ensure a smooth transition.
Kenya Power maintains that the changes will enhance convenience for customers while enabling the company to focus more resources on service delivery, customer engagement and network expansion.
