EPRA Announces New Director General After Kiptoo’s Resignation
The Energy and Petroleum Regulations Authority (EPRA) has appointed Joseph Oketch as its acting Director General, effective immediately.
Oketch’s appointment comes a day after former EPRA director general Daniel Kiptoo resigned following a scandal surrounding the importation of substandard fuel worth over Ksh 4 billion.
In a press briefing on Sunday, April 5, EPRA Board Chairman Adan Ali said the appointment of Oketch was informed by the authority’s critical and strategic mandate as Kenya’s energy sector regulator.
This includes setting and reviewing electricity and petroleum tariffs, licensing industry players, enforcing safety and quality standards, and safeguarding consumer interests.
“EPRA board has appointed Joseph Oketch as the acting director general of EPRA. The board remains confident that Oketch shall effectively steer the authority in the said capacity,” Ali stated.
Prior to his appointment, Oketch was heading the Electricity and Renewable Energy Directorate, where he had been overseeing the formulation, review and monitoring of regulations, codes and standards governing the electrical and renewable energy sub-sectors, a position, the board announced, that he will continue to hold.
Following his appointment, EPRA reaffirmed its commitment to ensure its ability to regulate the energy sector, assuring the country of the authority’s effectiveness.
“We importantly assure the country and the stakeholders of the stability of the authority and that the authority remains steady in effectively and sustainably regulating the energy sector,” Ali added.
According to the board, Oketch has over 25 years of experience in the energy sector, serving in senior roles at Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) before joining EPRA about 10 years ago.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nairobi, a Master’s degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from UoN, and PhD in Strategic Management from Kenyatta University.
Oketch’s appointment follows a scandal surrounding his predecessor Daniel Kiptoo, who was arrested on Friday evening after being accused of taking part in the importation of substandard fuel worth over Ksh4 billion.
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Kiptoo, alongside former Petrolleum PS Mohammed Liban and former Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang, resigned on Saturday, April 4, after being accused of manipulating data on in-country fuel stocks.
The falsified data, according to the office President, was used to justify the irregular procurement of an emergency fuel cargo by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
The shipment, valued at approximately Ksh4 billion, was acquired outside the Government-to-Government (G-2-G) deal Kenya has in place with Gulf nations for oil supply.
The president’s office stated that the procurement was a blatant breach of the G2G agreement, executed at prices well above contracted rates.
This, in turn, violate emergency procurement procedures, and involving fuel that was below the required quality standards.
EPRA Announces New Director General After Kiptoo’s Resignation
