President Ruto has expressed optimism about Kenya’s economy, assuring citizens that it will begin reaping its full benefits starting in December.
However, a petition has surfaced in Parliament, urging an investigation into the payment of Sh.18.5 billion for power that was never supplied to Kenyans in 2021.
The petitioner, led by rights activist Peter Agoro, holds four former State officials during the Uhuru Kenyatta administration accountable for the payment to the Lake Turkana Wind Power project.
The Auditor General had flagged this suspicious payment, citing penalties for the absence of power lines to transmit energy from the Turkana windmill firm.
Activists filed the petition in the National Assembly, questioning payments made by KPLC to settle alleged penalties with the private power-generating company.
The Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, highlighted the contract between KPLC, the Ministry of Energy, and Lake Turkana Wind Mill, emphasizing the payment of Sh.18.5 billion without the supply of electricity.
The petition urges MPs to investigate whether the wind power was ready to supply electricity when the payment was demanded.
A special audit report from August 5, 2021, implicated the Ministry of Energy and KPLC in the Sh.18.5 billion bill for the Lake Turkana wind project, where electricity never reached Kenyan homes despite taxpayers’ money being disbursed.
The petition alleges that the last payment of Sh.1 billion in Germany ended up in private bank accounts, raising suspicions of money laundering.
The Auditor General called for further investigations into any anomalies and action against those found responsible.
The petition calls for the implementation of the Auditor General’s report and urges the Parliament committee to summon former officials, including Joseph Kinyua, Prof. Githu Muigai, Vivian Yeda, and representatives from the Central Bank of Kenya.
Out of the Sh.18.5 billion penalty, the Ministry of Energy paid Sh.10 billion, with the remaining Ksh.9 billion to be passed on to consumers by KPLC until 2024.
The petition argues that this has contributed to an increase in consumer prices.
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