Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has hinted at a looming radical overhaul of the struggling Kenya Power and Lighting Company to also ease the power burden on Kenyans.
The change, according to Matiang'i, is aimed at reducing electricity costs in the country and is expected to begin promptly.
He spoke in Isinya, Kajiado County on Sunday during a funds drive to construct the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) Church South Nairobi-Kajiado branch headquarters.
He affirmed that the implementation of the reforms at Kenya Power would be done by a task force appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
According to Matiang’i, the government will stretch the proposals of the task force to undertake a wider review and overhaul the energy sector in its entirety.
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He also revealed that the government would launch a program to address the challenges experienced in the energy sector as a whole.
“In the coming weeks, we will launch an aggressive program to address the challenges in the energy sector,” said Matiang’i.
The CS added that the government was committed to reduce drastically the cost of fuel and electricity bills to ease the ever-rising cost of living in Kenya.
“We are certain that the prices of fuel will not only come down but even the bills and the costs of electricity we are paying will come down,” the CS added.
Matiang’i also said the high cost of power had affected the competitiveness of the country in attracting local and foreign investors and caused a loss of money in businesses.
John Ngumi, who chairs the task force on KPLC changes proposed an overhaul of the company to be overseen by the cabinet.
The task force also recommended a review of the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) between private enterprises and KPLC.
In a report submitted to the president Wednesday, the team attributed high power costs in Kenya to contracts that favoured Independent Power Producers over consumers and KPLC.
The task force also recommended a review of all contracts of that sort within four months.
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