Kenya Power and Lighting Company have been permitted to auction the Kenya African National Union’s (KANU) offices in Nakuru County.
The directive has been reached upon in efforts to recover 738.8 million shillings arrears that KANU accumulated in electricity bills during its stay at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
The arrears were incurred during retired President Daniel Moi’s time in office.
Judges Patrick Kiage, Philip Waki and Fatuma Sichale of the Court of Appeal refused to grant a temporary order restricting Kenya Power from recovering the amount the party was yet to pay.
The arrears had accumulated in the duration of eight years when it had its headquarters at the KICC.
The tussle on whether KPLC should auction KANU’s Nakuru offices or not has dragged on in the courts for over a decade as the party argued that the Nakuru branch was being punished over its ‘mother-party’ weaknesses.
KANU was kicked out in 2003 shortly after Mr. Mwai Kibaki became President, eight years after it had taken into possession KICC.
The party apparently consumed power worth 3 million shillings but only paid meager installments of 200,000 shillings to 300,000 shillings which in turn led to the huge bill.
A 12 percent annual interest continues to grow the debt which has since increased from 212 million shillings to 738 million shillings.
The debt will continue to grow until the case is determined.