Energy Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has exuded confidence that the ongoing reforms to reduce the cost of electricity in the country will yield more results once completed. Juma told a news conference on Friday that the government was working on a plan to further reduce the cost of electricity in the country with the next reduction set to be effected before April.
The government announced a 15 per cent reduction in power tariffs on January 7 with Juma noting that the reduction was bound to go high in the coming days. The cut was part of a 30 per cent tariff cut pledge made by President Uhuru Kenyatta to help ease the economic burden faced by Kenyans.
“I want to assure all Kenyans that we are determined to see these reforms through and are focused to make clean, affordable and accessible energy a reality for all Kenyans,”
She noted that the Ministry of Energy has commenced the development of a policy road-map that will culminate in the Energy White Paper that will help the country in progressively realizing the dream of reduced power cost.
“I am confident that we are on a pathway of re-imagining our energy trajectory that will offer this critical service to our people, business, and drive our economy; at an affordable, reliable and sustainable manner. More fundamentally I believe that these reforms, which are irreversible, will enhance Kenya’s leadership in the path of renewable energy globally,”
Juma also issued an update on the ongoing talks with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to slash electricity costs noting that “the engagements have been constructive and many have offered pointers that are invaluable towards our objective of making our power competitive, stable and accessible.”
The government in October 2021 froze all pending and ongoing contracts with IPPs to pave way for a review of existing agreements inked by the electricity distributor Kenya Power.
Edited by: Chepkosgei Jedidah