President William Ruto has directed the ministries of Agriculture, Energy, and Treasury to immediately draft regulations that will see Kenya start producing fuel products such as ethanol from molasses.
According to the head of state, this move will enable Kenya to produce ethanol locally to supplement the country’s fuel products which means Kenya will save on its fuel imports.
He stated,”We want to use molasses at this facility here to make ethanol and co-generation,” Ruto announced. I have instructed that it should be reviewed within a stipulated time frame in the context of where we are so that we have biofuel regulations that are going to facilitate the use of ethanol to supplement our fuel needs as a country.”
Additionally, the Head of State revealed that the directive stemmed from his time when he was serving as the Agriculture Minister in the Grand Coalition government of the then-President Mwai Kibaki.
Consequently, CSs John Mbadi (Treasury), Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture), and Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) now have 90 days to inform Ruto of the next steps they will have taken towards the realisation of the production process.
He further issued a warning to managers of the Mumias Sugar factory and other stakeholders regarding delays to the project.
“I have had a meeting with the concerned parties and informed them that they have 90 days to update me on how the distillery is going to operate,” Ruto stated.
“Give me three months to conclude that; if it has not been completed, there will be people who will have to be held accountable,” he added.
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