Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i on Wednesday, October 13, announced a new approach in how the government would deal with defiant managers from the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC).
Speaking during the inauguration of the steering committee on implementation of the Presidential Task Force, the CS stated that a multi-agency security team had been established to support the team.
The decision comes after the task force raised complains of frustration from a section of the KPLC managers. Matiang'i stated that the security team would support the committee.
In the meeting also attended by Energy CS Monica Juma, the managers were ordered to work with the committee lest they face dire consequences. They were further warned against subverting or frustrating the reforms.
Defiant managers risk getting sacked or apprehended and prosecuted should they be found engaging in actions that amount to sabotage.
Matiang'i explained that the involvement of government and a cabinet sub committee providing oversight is to ensure that objectives are aligned. It would further play a great role in streamlining efficiency among energy sector players.
The task force was asked to approach reforms with a measure of ruthlessness and focus on bringing down electricity cost.
On October 12, President Uhuru Kenyatta formed a 21-member steering committee to implement guidelines issued by the task force on the review of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with an aim of lowering electricity bills
Matiang'i declared Kenya Power a special government project after holding meetings with the board, senior management teams from the firm as well as the Ministry of Energy.
The CS announced the suspension of any new negotiation of PPAs between Kenya Power and suppliers. Reforms would include forensic audits of some of the systems and procedures in a bid to reduce system losses.
"We have agreed with the board on a very aggressive method of reviewing even the billing system at the KPLC ," the Interior CS stated.
