Kenyans have been urged to only get Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA)-licensed service providers for their own safety.
At the same time, the country has been rallied to seek electrical services from competent electricians who have been assessed and licensed to avoid electricity-related fires and deaths.
Engineer Joseph Oketch, the director in charge of electricity and renewable energy at EPRA who spoke in Garissa, said that while one of the government’s objectives was ensuring that the country transitions to LPG, it was keen on ensuring that all the safety requirements are adhered to for anyone wishing to get the services.
He was speaking during a public participation forum on the energy electric power undertaking regulations draft of 2025 and the electricity supply and electrical installation work draft of 2025.
He said among the things that the regulatory body does is to ensure that the gas cylinders are periodically tested and are not weak, which in some instances have led to leakages and accidents.
“We have launched a Kaa Safe Mtaani programme because over time, the government has invested a lot of money to make sure that we expand clean and affordable energy services to our citizens. We want people to transition into LPG but then LPG can be a bomb waiting to blast in your house if it does not meet the safety requirements,” Oketch warned.
“For safety reasons, we want Kenyans to get these services from our licensed service providers because before we license them, we have a protocol to make sure that they comply with safety issues and best practices,” he added.
Oketch also cautioned Kenyans against illegal connections of electricity as well as using unlicensed operators to carry out connections, noting that many a time these had led to accidents that have resulted in death and destruction of property.
He said EPRA was proposing the regulation because it is the one that covers the end use of electricity in the country.
The regulation will govern how the wiring will be done in the houses, premises, institutions, factories and any other place where electricity is consumed. It also entails electrical workers and contractors that give EPRA the framework for licensing them.
Engineer Okech disclosed that the regulation that was currently in force was done in 2006 under the electric power act.
“We know that too many technological changes have taken place. Therefore, the regulation we are proposing today is taken care of. It is giving life to the provisions of the act of 2019,” he said.
He disclosed that when the regulations come into force, it would be upon the building owners to make sure that they get competent electrical contractors and periodically test their installations.
By Erick Kyalo
