KPLC To Pay Over Ksh 500 Million Following Massive Fire That Killed 30 People
Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has been dealt a significant financial blow. The High Court has ordered them to pay over Ksh500 million (USD 4.1 million) to Woolworths Limited, the owner of the premises that housed the Nakumatt Supermarket on Kenyatta Avenue.
The supermarket fire, which occurred on January 28th, 2009, tragically claimed 30 lives. Justice Jacqueline Mong’are ruled that KPLC was responsible for the fire’s ignition.
The court-ordered compensation includes:
- Lost rent: Ksh41.5 million (USD 3.08 million)
- Land rent and rates: Ksh7.4 million (USD 55,000)
- Building value: Ksh58.5 million (USD 435,000)
- Demolition and property restoration: Ksh4 million (USD 30,000)
- Professional fees: Ksh429,200 (USD 3,200)
- Debris removal: Ksh469,800 (USD 3,500)
Additionally, KPLC must pay interest on these amounts dating back to August 13th, 2009. The court also awarded general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, with interest accruing from the judgment date until full payment.
Read also;Heavy Rains Bring Nairobi Traffic To A Halt As Huge Tree Blocks Moi Avenue
Justice Mong’are’s ruling absolved Nakumatt Holdings Limited and its director, Atulkumar Maganlala Shah, of any liability for the fire. While the judge acknowledged Nakumatt breached their lease agreement regarding storage materials, no evidence linked these materials to the fire’s origin.
Expert witnesses from KPLC who visited the site after the fire confirmed a functional generator on the premises, further discrediting theories suggesting Nakumatt’s equipment caused the blaze.
