Sometime last year, I received a letter from my landlord. It informed me that the whole building would be switching to Prepaid electricity, and that Kenya Power technicians would come and install all the necessary equipment. I didn’t mind the idea because I spent a few years living and working in Dar es Salaam where everyone uses LUKU. LUKU is short for Lipa Umeme Kadri Utumiavyo. What happens is that you buy a set number of units, load your electricity meter, and voila, light! It’s kind of like loading airtime on your cell phone. In fact, it’s better, because once you get a LUKU card, you simply swipe the card on your meter and you’re good to go.
One of the first lessons we learned in Dar was to keep a close eye on the LUKU meter so that we knew when it needed refilling. We learned to calculate how long X number of units would last, so we knew exactly when we needed to reload, and how much. So when my current landlord said we were going prepay, it seemed like a good idea.
The technicians showed up as expected, set everything up, and explained how to use the meter box. I admit I was disappointed since mine looked more like an old calculator, and you had to manually key in the numbers instead of swiping a card, but hey. I asked the guy a lot of questions, like whether I could buy my first batch of ‘electric airtime’ via M-PESA. He advised me against it, saying the M-PESA system hangs a lot, and suggested I buy a Prepaid Token at Uchumi instead. I then asked how much I should buy, and he said they had already loaded 30 Units, so I could relax for a while. Yay!
The first time I loaded my Prepaid Meter, I spent 1,000/= and got 79 units, which lasted just one and a half weeks. I loaded a second 1,000/= and got 71 Units, which lasted another one and a half weeks. My third 1,000/= only got me 58 Units … WTF? I had read on Twitter that the first load of every month has a levy attached, so you’d get fewer units. I also heard, again on Twitter, that buying Prepaid Tokens by M-PESA means you get 10% fewer units because of some kind of service charge. I ended up spending 3500/= during my first month of Prepaid Power, and I wasn’t amused, because my Postpaid electricity bill generally ranged between 300/= and 2300/=. And no, the meter does not allow backsies, so I can’t switch back to Postpaid.
The next time I bought electricity, I went straight to Stima Plaza. This time, my 1000/= got me 69 Units. I asked the cashier what that was about and he explained that the cost of Prepaid Tokens is dependent on the exchange rate. That means depending on the strength of the shilling, 500/= can buy you 30 Units one month, 50 Units the next month, then back down to 45 Units on Month Three. The problem with this is simple. I know I spend roughly 200 Units a month. But those same 200 Units can cost anything between 2000/= and 4000/= depending on the exchange rate, which makes it hard to budget for my electricity bill.
Now, remember the 30 Units that came loaded in the meter? Well, about a week ago, I 
received a text. Apparently, Kenya Power wants their units back. I was pretty pissed off because I calculate my usage down to the very last unit, and having 30 Units summarily deducted from my meter is screwing me seven ways south of anywhere! I don’t know why they’d claim the units almost a whole year later. And … thing is … I can’t remember the technician actually saying the units were free. Aw crud!
If you look at your Prepaid Token, you’ll notice that roughly 30% of your bill goes to purchase units. The rest of the bill goes to fuel charges, levies, forex, and so on. So I’m not sure sure about the exact monetary value of the 30 Units that Kenya Power intends to deduct. This month, I bought 3000/= worth of electricity, which gave me 203 Units. That means 30 Units should logically cost about 450/= unless they deduct all the forex and levies. If 450/= is deducted from every household with a Prepaid Meter, that adds up to … a lot of money for Kenya Power. Of course they could argue that we owe them the money anyway thanks to the ‘free units’ but they didn’t specify that we had to pay for them later. A lawyer would probably argue that they didn’t specify we didn’t have to pay for them either. Sigh.
Writer @SunnySunWords, suggested a Twitter initiative that we can use to tackle issues like this. #TwitterBigStick. Another tweep, @BenKiilu added his bit with #TwitterThumbsUp. These hasthags can be attached to any general or corporate compliment/complaint on Twitter. Sunny requests that when we use the hashtags, we include details on the matter and photos where possible. He has also requested we don’t misuse the concept. It’s a sound warning, because while Kenyans on Twitter – #KOT are a formidable force, we often use our influence in an rather unhealthy way. We’ve often have international TTs, but a lot of them are negative and/or frivolous.
Sunny says the concepts of #TwitterThumbsUp and #TwitterBigStick are not his own, and that we should all use them together to effect positive change. His article Little People Using Little Devices To Tame Big People appeared in his Sunday Nation Column and explains his philosophy quite clearly. A large part of the Kenyan population is made up of young people, and in Sunny’s words, these young people have the power to make a change.
For a lot of people, Twitter is just a way to pass time, so everything you post is done in good fun and with a light touch. They see it mainly as a way to hang out and kid around. On Twitter, it’s never that serious. But we now see what a powerful tool it can be, when it’s wielded properly. Social Media has been used to bolster revolutions in Iran, Egypt, and Tunisia. It has also been used to lash out against SOPA, which, ironically, could have killed the online world as we know it. As digital citizens, we’re ideally placed to recognize and take adavantage of all this.
And this is where my key issue arises. Sunny has been with us for a while, and is nowhere near Generation Y. He has embraced this technological tool and suggested a way to channel it for good. A week or so ago, there was an argument on Twitter about how we should use this tool to make a change. The response was for some tweeps to call others hypocritical for talking the talk without walking the walk.
This generation wields a lot of power, and we use it to start TTs like #USIUChicks. 
It has taken someone from a much older era to provide a way for us to use this tool for good. Young people keep insisting that we want to run things at work, at home, in the government, in the world. But if we have power and we can’t choose to use it well unless an older hand guides us, then I’m afraid this might mean the leaders of tomorrow and not quite ready for … tomorrow! As for Kenya Power, they decided to go easy on us and deduct the 30 Units bit by bit. Sigh. Why don’t I feel any better?
mad as hell with these prepaid meters too!! nice article…….
At this time it seems like WordPress is the
best blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what
you’re using on your blog?
30 units???! Golly! I got only 3 units my first time!
Any-ho I hate Kplc . I hope they get replaced like the post office did. Everything must come to an end. If humans invented phones, we’ll invent something else to get rid of the likes of Kplc douches!
The best freebies, free samples, coupons, and deals brought to you by a community of extreme freebie finders. http://www.cravefreebies.com New free stuff added every day.
After research a couple of of the blog posts on your web site now, and I truly like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website listing and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web page as properly and let me know what you think.
I read this piece of writing fully about the resemblance of hottest and previous technologies,
it’s awesome article.
It’s really a great and useful piece of information. I am satisfied that you simply shared this
useful info with us. Please stay us informed like this.
Thanks for sharing.
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, let alone the content!
I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is
written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem.
You are amazing! Thanks!
Thanks for your submission. I also believe that laptop computers have grown to be more and more popular right now, and now will often be the only kind of computer included in a household. Simply because at the same time actually becoming more and more cost-effective, their computing power keeps growing to the point where they can be as highly effective as personal computers coming from just a few years ago.
If you would like to increase your experience simply keep visiting this website and be updated
with the most recent gossip posted here.
Very rapidly this website will be famous amid all blog people, due to it’s nice content
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and
found that it is truly informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels.
I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future.
Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Quality articles is the secret to invite the
users to visit the web site, that’s what this website is providing.
I’m more than happy to discover this page. I want to
to thank you for your time due to this wonderful read!!
I definitely appreciated every little bit of it and I have you saved
to fav to see new stuff in your web site.
You could certainly see your expertise within the work you write.
The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid
to mention how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was
great. I don’t know who you are but definitely you’re going to a
famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a
little bit, but instead of that, this is fantastic blog.
A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
I just want to mention I’m new to blogs and really loved this page. More than likely I’m likely to bookmark your blog . You definitely come with really good articles. Thanks a bunch for sharing with us your web site.
Great article! We are linking to this particularly great post on our site.
Keep up the good writing.
Very good info. Lucky me I came across your website
by accident (stumbleupon). I’ve saved it for later!
Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem with your website in internet explorer, would test this… IE still is the market leader and a huge portion of people will miss your fantastic writing because of this problem.
I was looking at some of your content on this internet site and I think this site is very informative! Continue putting up.
I have been browsing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
That is the right blog for anyone who needs to find out about this topic. You understand so much its virtually laborious to argue with you (not that I really would want…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a brand new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!
You have remarked very interesting points! ps nice site.
Wonderful website. Lots of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you to your effort!
I gotta favorite this internet site it seems very beneficial handy
I do agree with all of the ideas you have presented in your post. They are very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for novices. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
I gotta bookmark this site it seems invaluable very useful
It is truly a great and helpful piece of information. I am satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Hola! I’ve been following your website for a while now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Austin Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the good work!
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your web site?
It¡¦s actually a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
The subsequent time I learn a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as a lot as this one. I mean, I know it was my option to read, but I actually thought youd have one thing attention-grabbing to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you would repair if you happen to werent too busy looking for attention.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to say that I acquire actually loved account your weblog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your augment or even I fulfillment you get entry to constantly rapidly.
Hey there! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent weblog here! Also your website a lot up fast! What host are you using? Can I am getting your affiliate link to your host? I want my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
I relish, lead to I discovered exactly what I used to be having a look for. You’ve ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
These days of austerity in addition to relative anxiousness about taking on debt, many people balk resistant to the idea of utilizing a credit card in order to make acquisition of merchandise as well as pay for a trip, preferring, instead only to rely on the tried plus trusted technique of making settlement – cash. However, if you possess cash available to make the purchase in full, then, paradoxically, that’s the best time for them to use the card for several factors.
fantastic put up, very informative. I ponder why the opposite experts of this sector do not understand this. You must proceed your writing. I’m confident, you have a great readers’ base already!
Wonderful work! That is the kind of information that are meant to be shared around the net. Disgrace on the seek engines for no longer positioning this post higher! Come on over and discuss with my website . Thanks =)
of course like your web-site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth nevertheless I will surely come back again.
I not to mention my guys have been analyzing the best tactics found on your web blog and so quickly got a horrible feeling I never expressed respect to the blog owner for them. These boys became absolutely joyful to learn all of them and have now unquestionably been using those things. Appreciate your being well thoughtful as well as for having some extraordinary subject matter millions of individuals are really needing to discover. Our honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to sooner.
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, wonderful blog!
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.
Aw, this was a very nice post. In thought I want to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and actual effort to make an excellent article… however what can I say… I procrastinate alot and certainly not appear to get something done.
Good write-up, I’m regular visitor of one’s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a long time.