Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has revealed that the government will introduce a variety of gas cylinders under President William Ruto's free Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plan for low-income households.
Speaking to the media after a stakeholder engagement on Friday, the CS highlighted that among the cylinders to be introduced in the market are the 1kg containers. Other cylinders will be in 3kg and 5kg capacities.
Chirchir explained that the move was informed by the need to regulate refilling costs hampering many families from uptaking the 6 and 13-kg gas cylinders.
Further, the CS cited previous government programmes which failed to achieve similar goals given the strategies outlined were effected haphazardly.
"We want to ensure that there is a cylinder for everyone who lives below the line so that using LPG should not be an impediment on account of not having a cylinder.
"A lot of those cylinders (in past programmes) were 6 kg and it was not going to people living below the line. We will take the lessons we learnt on mwananchi gas and use them to support the new gas strategy for the people living below the line," he announced.
Additionally, the CS divulged that the government was working on a plan aiming at giving the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) powers to set gas prices.
Currently, EPRA only regulates fuel prices across the country and has been seeking entry into the gas sector.
"We are working on price discoveries through the open tender regulations that we are going to put in place. We have been to Cabinet and got approval," he added.
The distribution of free gas cylinders is expected to kickstart this year, with the Ministry of Energy targeting to supply over 60,000 pieces by December.
Notably, 4.5 million homes are being targeted in the plan that was announced by the Head of State in 2023.
On the other hand, under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Growth Policy, the government is set to introduce LPG infrastructure in buildings.
This project will ensure gas services are available in estates and homes.
