Lawyer Apollo Mboya.[Photo/twitter]

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Kenya Power has temporarily been barred by the High Court from recovering backdated bills amounting to Sh10.1 billion.

Justice Enock Mwita on Friday also  directed the suit filed by consumer body and a city lawyer be heard on January 30.

Lawyer Apollo Mboya and the Electricity Consumers Society Of Kenya moved to court to stop Kenya power from estimating bills and recovering sh8.1 billion from users.

According to the petitioners, Kenya Power has admitted passing to electricity consumers costs incurred on diesel generation in the year 2017, an act they say is unlawful.

“The…respondent to stop and cease the billing of electricity consumers with inflated backdated electricity bills to recover Sh10.1 billion contained in their annual report and financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2017 until January 30, 2018,” ordered Justice Mwita Friday.

The petitioners are also seeking to have Kenya Power ordered to refund electricity payments by customers made in excess.

“THAT pending the hearing and determination of this Application and Petition, this Honourable Court be pleased to issue an Order directed to the 1st Respondent to stop and cease disconnecting electricity based on the failure to honour inflated backdated electricity bills and estimated electricity bills,” reads one of the orders sought by the petitioners.

The Attorney General, Auditor General and regulator ERC are also listed as respondents.