KPLC, It’s 2025 — Why Are We Still Typing 20-Digit Tokens Like It’s 1999?

In 2025, the frustration is real when we buy electricity only to face the archaic ritual of entering a 20-digit code into our meters—yes, you heard that right, twenty digits—just so our lights will come back on. We live in a world of smartphones, mobile money, instant transport alerts, and real-time banking. But when it comes to switching on power at home, we’re still paused in front of a meter, keying in what feels like a safe code, as if unlocking some vault—why? It’s time KPLC ended this awkward pause in the digital era.

Meanwhile, developed nations have moved on. In places like Australia and other advanced markets, smart meters record usage every 30 minutes and send data to the provider automatically—no physical tokens, no manual entry.  These smart meters also allow remote top-ups, dynamic tariffs, and reduced administrative overhead. If these systems exist elsewhere, why are Kenyans still living with the token-entry frustration?

The system that persists here is pre-payment token meters: you pay, receive a voucher or token, punch in its 20-digit code, and wait for your meter to credit the units.  This model may have served its purpose in the past—but in a time of smartphones, 4G/5G networks, digital wallets, and IoT devices, it’s outdated. And if we’re serious about being a tech-friendly, investor-ready economy, we need to ask: what is holding us back?

KPLC may argue that investment in infrastructure is large, and legacy systems are entrenched. But other countries have faced similar challenges and yet rolled out smart metering and automatic top-ups. For example, smart metering infrastructure (AMI) and automatic meter reading (AMR) systems are widely deployed globally.  The core technologies, standards, and communication protocols (like IEC 62056) for data exchange and remote monitoring are already defined and in use.  So the question isn’t “can” but “why not yet?”

The 20-digit token system places the burden on consumers: pause your life, ignore dinner, position the meter display, hope you don’t mistype, wait for confirmation. The technology should shift that burden back to the system. Top-up notifications should trigger automatically, meters should sense your payment, and devices should credit instantly. This is no longer a luxury—it’s a baseline expectation from a technology-adept population.

The cost of doing nothing is more than mere inconvenience. Manual token entry breeds delays, mistakes, power suspicion, and customer frustration. It sends an image that KPLC is still anchored in the past, while the rest of the economy surges ahead. If stakeholder confidence matters, if investor perception matters, then operational excellence in basic utility services cannot lag.

Kenyans have embraced mobile money, ride-hailing, online commerce, and instant messaging with gusto. If those sectors can leap forward, why does electricity feel like a chore? It’s not enough to plug into technology; KPLC must embed it. Remote top-up, smart meter rollout, API integration with payment platforms, mobile app reconciliation—these should be standard, not optional.

There are practical steps: accelerate deployment of pre-approved smart meters; integrate vending systems to API gateways so that purchases flow directly into the meter; enable auto-recharge or low-balance alerts via SMS/app; provide real-time meter status and consumption data to consumers; adopt tiered pricing and time-of-use options that smart meters enable. Countries with advanced grids are doing this.

It is no longer acceptable that buying electricity feels like unlocking a safe with 20 digits. It is no longer acceptable that consumer expectation of instant service is thwarted by antiquated infrastructure. KPLC must align with the digital economy it serves, elevate its systems, empower consumers, cut friction, and modernize. If we are to build a Kenya that competes globally, provides seamless services locally, and inspires trust, the era of token pain must end.

KPLC: The choice is clear. Upgrade or fall behind. The future demands instant light, not token angst.

Read Also: Kenya’s Power Blackout Crisis: How KPLC’s Failures And Ruto’s Incompetence Are Endangering Lives And Crippling The Economy