Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-03 09:46:03
President William Ruto, while on a working tour of the Western region, has taken a strong stance on the recent gas storage and refilling plant explosion in Embakasi. He has ordered the immediate sacking, arrest, and prosecution of state officials involved in the licensing of the plant, which resulted in three deaths and 280 injuries.
During his visit to Kakamega County, Dr. Ruto pointed to corruption and negligence as the leading causes of the explosion. He stated, “There are people with licenses in residential areas and they are endangering the lives of ordinary Kenyans. I have told the relevant ministry that all those who were involved in issuing licenses where it was not appropriate should now leave their jobs and be taken to court. These people know that they were told that they would not be given the license but because of corruption and dishonesty, they were given a license and went ahead to operate.”
The explosion resulted in the loss of three lives and left almost 300 individuals injured. Additionally, the incident caused extensive destruction of property.
The President’s comments come after Energy and Interior Cabinet Secretaries Davis Chirchir and Prof Kithure Kindiki revealed that the gas plant had been demolished twice by the authorities in March 2020 and January 2021. The operators of the plant had also faced charges in court. Furthermore, the Petroleum Institute of East Africa (PIEA) disclosed that the owner of the facility had been facing a criminal case since November 9, 2020. All the accused persons involved in the matter were found guilty and sentenced, with the sentence handed down on May 18, 2021.
Chirchir and Kindiki attributed the explosion to the refilling of LPG cylinders being done through direct manifold connections to the LPG tanker, increasing the risk of leakage and explosion. They also emphasized that the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) had been working with enforcement agencies to undertake surveillance and enforcement, resulting in the demolition of over 10 illegal sites in the recent past.
In response to the tragedy, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ordered a crackdown on illegal gas plants operating without licenses or proper safety measures. He also called for a fresh risk assessment of such plants and emphasized the need for strict enforcement of regulations in the petroleum and LPG sectors.
President Ruto’s decisive actions in response to the Embakasi gas plant explosion reflect the government’s commitment to holding accountable those responsible for endangering the lives of citizens. The crackdown on illegal gas plants and enforcement of safety regulations is crucial to preventing similar tragic incidents in the future. By ordering the dismissal, arrest, and prosecution of state officials involved in the licensing of the plant, the government aims to send a clear message that corruption and negligence in the issuance of licenses will not be tolerated and that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.
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