Weaponization of Waste: Nairobi County Vs Kenya Power and Lighting Company
By Prof. Dr. Halimu Shauri
Consultant Sociologist
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The country has witnessed unprecedented conflict pitying the Nairobi County and Kenya Power and Lighting Company [KPLC].
The gravity of the matter signifies the deteriorating ethos among professionals in the two institutions.
While professionals are supposed to be guided by Principles of Good Corporate Governance in the performance of their duties, the duo seem to have been lost in the ocean of vices.
One wonders whether the show of mighty, using stinking waste is the new way in town for solving conflicts in our institutions. Indeed,
“When sanity escapes through the door, insanity sneaks in through the window.”
Sanity has escaped the doors of the Nairobi County and KPL.
The reports that the later went to disconnect power to key County installations has merits being their strategy to coerce defaulters to pay up their bills.
Similarly, the accusations by Nairobi County that KPL owes them pending bills in wayleave charges is also valid if true.
Indeed, the two seem to have a borne to pick with each other.
While there maybe merit is the narratives coming from each side, one wonders whether weaponizing waste by the county and disconnecting power in key county installations is the best way to go!
The display of bravado by officers from both sides confirms the fact that,
“When intelligence slips through the hole, the same hole allows idiocy to slip in and fill the space left by intelligence.”
The display of stinking waste may also be a symptom of how ill thinking we have become as a nation. It’s actually a display of desperation to arrive at a resolution to the conflict.
“Where two sides cannot arrive at a concensus or agreement over a misunderstanding, the chances are that one or both parties will turn to unorthodox behaviour to push to be understood.”
Accordingly, the spilling of stinking waste, I hope it’s not human waste, is a form of an argument to instill sense to the KPLC management to understand the county and pay up.
The same is true when KPLC disconnected power to the county installations. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth in the Hammurabi code in display on the streets of Nairobi.
However, I wish to share three important thoughts that can help the two worrying factions, Nairobi County and KPLC.
First, the two agencies have an opportunity to ask themselves whether they are the problem in the ensuing bravado that has embarrassed professionals, especially in the two government institutions.
Second, the two worrying parties can ask themselves what is our interest in the conflict. Chances are that the interest is the same, each wanting it’s dues to be paid.
Finally, if this is so, which is so, then they should ask themselves the question, does disconnecting power or even pouring stinking waste in the streets translate into their pay cheques? Alas! it’s merely a defeatist display of insanity.
By Prof. Dr. Halimu Shauri
Consultant Sociologist
