National Assembly Committee on Energy Demands Answers From The Government why the price of fuel is higher than neighbouring countries
MPs demanded quick intervention from the relevant stakeholders to lower the price of oil products since oil marketers have started migrating
On electricity, the KPLC MD assured the country that in the next three months 300,000 transformers will be installed in different constituents
A section of Members of Parliament have pleaded with the President William Ruto to reintroduce the fuel subsidy program, citing that their constituents are increasingly becoming hostile to them because of high cost of the pumps and additional levies
The MPs, across political divide, some drawn from the ruling party, in a National Assembly Committee on Energy, called for speedy intervention to mitigate the situations before the country’s economy collapses
The Committee Chaired by Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka, pressed Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir to explain to the country why the fuel price is increasing by in Kenya against the neighbouring country Uganda and Tanzania
“We want to know why the fuel is going up whereas Tanzania and Uganda is cheap. Why oil companies are closing down rendering many jobless. Why fuel companies are fleeing our country to neighbouring countries? Mwala MP alias Kawaya asked Energy CS Davis Chirchir
Accompanied by a battery of Managing Directors of the Semi Autonomous Government Agencies under the purview of the Ministry, Chirchir circumnavigated the question stating that the war between Israeli and Hamas is affecting pump prices
Armed with the questions devoid of political affiliations, the MPs, Elisha Odhiambo from Gem and Ken Chonga of Kilfi South, wondered how those neighbouring countries could use Kenya’s pipeline and have reduced prices than Kenya
Additionally, Embakasi South MP Musili Mawathe, accused the Kenya Pipeline and Lighting Company [KPLC] for transferring transformers from Mukuru kwa Njenga under disguise of faulty machines, and instead instal them in Nairobi’s suburbs
The KPLC MD Dr Joseph Siror, admitted the malpractice and assured MPs to work out the mess and streamline the sector
On the question of under installation of transformers in different constituents, after the budget was passed amounting to Sh1.6B, Siror confirmed that there are already procured 300,000 transformers in their godowns and 140,000 have already been installed
The question of complications surrounding the metering process, Musyoka, told the Energy stakeholders that, no Kenyan will afford to stay in blackout while they can manipulate their way to get electricity in their households thus urging them to expedite the process where necessary
The Committee was meeting with the MDAs under its purview to consider the First Supplementary Budget Estimates for FY 2023/24 at Panari Hotel, Mombasa Road
In their submissions, the MDAs pleaded with the committee to return the cuts as they will negatively affect some of already signed on-going projects as well as attracting legal redress from the contractors in case of termination or failure to full payments