CS Wandayi Hits Roadblock After MPs Turn Him Down
CS Wandayi Hits Roadblock After The National Assembly rejected a plea by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to lift the moratorium on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), underscoring that Kenyans must be protected first.
The Parliament argued over inadequate safeguards to protect taxpayers from potential exploitation by foreign investors.
“Members of Parliament have rejected a proposal from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to lift the moratorium on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), citing concerns over inadequate safeguards to protect taxpayers from potential exploitation by private investors,” read part of a statement.
The Ministry had approached Parliament with a request to lift the moratorium specifically on coal-fired power plants, stressing the urgency of expanding power sources to meet Kenya’s increasing energy needs
According to the Ministry, anticipated growth in power consumption necessitates a diversification of sources, with coal plants positioned as a stable and cost-effective complement to existing hydroelectric power.
However, The lawmakers who in their oversight role chair key committees – including departmental, audit, appropriations, and select committees strongly objected to the ministry’s plea to lift the moratorium.
The legislators insisted that the Ministry must first implement stringent measures to prevent projects from disproportionately favoring investors at the expense of public interest
The MPs spoke during the National Assembly leadership retreat with Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Energy, and Kenya Power Managing Director and CEO Joseph Siror at Enashipai Resort and Spa, Naivasha.
Led by Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka, who chairs the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Energy, members expressed concern over the Ministry’s inadequate safeguards.
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