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Paul Njuguna, a retired technical manager at the Agricultural Development Corporation, invested Ksh 16 million in 2019 to set up Elgon Pine, a refined oil and animal feed plant in Eldoret. At its peak, the plant processed 90 tonnes of canola, sunflower, and soya annually, with capacity for 300 tonnes. Njuguna contracted about 100 farmers who supplied raw materials, while he also farmed 10 acres himself.
The business also produced poultry feeds and soap from crop by-products.
The venture collapsed after Kenya Power slapped him with a Ksh 400,000 bill in August 2021, compared to his usual monthly bill of about Ksh 30,000. Njuguna disputed it as an error and filed a complaint, but Kenya Power claimed underbilling and refused to adjust. When he failed to pay, Kenya Power disconnected electricity to both his plant and home. Though EPRA ruled in his favour and ordered reconnection, the power was never restored, forcing him to shut down operations.
The shutdown affected the entire value chain - contracted farmers, suppliers, and employees - all of whom lost income. Njuguna now questions whether the disconnection was deliberate sabotage and why Kenya does little to protect small industrial ventures. His case has raised concerns about how utility billing errors and slow dispute resolution can destroy promising local businesses and the livelihoods tied to them.


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