Kenyans will no longer be able to purchase electricity tokens from shops following a new directive from power distributor Kenya Power.

Effective Thursday, September 1, the purchase of tokens will only be made through authorized channels.

In a public notice on Tuesday, August 30, Kenya Power said it had only approved three paybill numbers, a number of banks as well as the USSD code *977#.

“We wish to inform our prepaid and postpaid customers that, effective Thursday, September 1, 2022, the purchase of prepaid tokens and payment of postpaid bills will only be made through the (above-mentioned) authorised channels.

“Customers can also conveniently access these services through KPLC banking halls countrywide. They can also purchase tokens or pay their bills via USSD code *977#,” the notice read in part.

For new connections, customers are advised to make the payment via M-Pesa Paybill 888899.

For prepaid tokens, customers can purchase via the M-Pesa Paybill number 888880 while in the post-paid category, users are advised to make the purchase via the M-Pesa Paybill number 888888.

Kenya Power wraned Kenyans against buying tokens thorugh third-party agents.

“Please note that no other third-party agent is authorised to offer these services on behalf of KPLC. The company will therefore not take liability for any transaction conducted through any other platform,” the notice added.

Meanwhile, Kenya Power is working on a new technology that will allow Kenyans on the pre-paid option to share tokens with each other.

Kenyans will also be able to transfer their tokens to another house when moving houses.

Kenya Power has since conducted tests in parts of Nairobi and it expects to pilot the technology countrywide.