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{
"id": 1398851,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398851/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum",
"speaker": null,
"content": "morning to respond to the Questions that have been raised. As has been said, I am a frequent member here. I am happy to address some of the challenges as we look forward to building our country together. Following the letter dated 13th February, 2024, which invited us to come and respond to the Question that has been raised by the hon. Member on whether we are aware of the breakdown of over 15 Government-owned power transformers in Kirinyaga County in the last six months and the reasons behind that, I wish to note that the above Question had been asked under Question No.059 on 4th October, 2023. The Ministry is aware and the breakdown of those transformers has been continuously addressed through Kenya Power Company. We replace them once reported. A breakdown of transformers has been experienced, not only in Kirinyaga County, but also in different counties. That has been occasioned by incidences of vandalism of transformers and earthing insulations; illegal connections which when they are done without due respect to the capacity of those transformers, cause overloading. Sometimes, we lose transformers frequently because of those illegal connections, therefore, overloading those transformers. Thirdly, the faults on the low voltage lines due to trees and the environmental challenges causes breakdown from time to time. Hon. Senators, to counter these incidences and improve on reliability of the grid, the Government has put up the following measures- (i) Continuous monitoring is done on the power network to ensure failed transformers are replaced in the shortest possible time. (ii) Listing of power installation is under critical infrastructure, as a result, there is a special police unit called Energy Police Unit that is mandated to protect all energy infrastructure from generation transmission to distribution. Let me give a small background of the challenges and why we are trying to play a catch-up game in these areas of transformers. We have had as I mentioned and will again mention in the next Question, a serious litigation on the procurement front. When power goes off and it is a transformer, it is expected that we respond immediately because it is a critical service supporting hospitals, among other critical functions. When we lose a transformer and have a litigation on procurement of transformers, which you maybe aware, lasted between two to three years, there was so much backlog. At one time, we had many transformers paid for by customers up to 951. We were not able to procure because of those litigation issues. Transformers which were required for the funded Government last mile schemes were up to 561 which we were unable to procure. We created a backlog of up to 1700 transformers, creating a challenge in addressing some of these transformers. That is why we have had this transformer challenge on why we do not immediately bring in a replacement when there has been a breakdown. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir and Senators, we are on top of this trying to ensure the problem of transformers is addressed once and for all so that we do not have these inordinate delays in replacing defective transformers. I do not know whether the question on inordinate delay in replacing defective power transformers in Kirogo, Maendeleo and"
},
{
"id": 1398852,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398852/?format=api",
"text_counter": 207,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
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{
"id": 1398853,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398853/?format=api",
"text_counter": 208,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Riagicheru villages within Mwea Constituency despite multiple request for replacement has been put to the Floor."
},
{
"id": 1398854,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398854/?format=api",
"text_counter": 209,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Unless Sen. Mbugua is with such details, I believe you can respond to in your next question, which is supplementary to the earlier question. Otherwise, the response you have just given is specific to the first Question. If there is any supplementary, I believe the hon. Senator will inquire so that you can respond to it as well."
},
{
"id": 1398855,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398855/?format=api",
"text_counter": 210,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mbugua",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 899,
"legal_name": "Mary Njoki G Mbugua",
"slug": "mary-njoki-g-mbugua"
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I would like the Cabinet Secretary to assure the country and this House that we have enough transformers in the country. Two, could he also confirm to this House that he has put measures in place to ensure the transformers coming in are not substandard?"
},
{
"id": 1398856,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398856/?format=api",
"text_counter": 211,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Proceed, hon. Cabinet Secretary."
},
{
"id": 1398857,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398857/?format=api",
"text_counter": 212,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you for that question. There is a current procurement process going on for a significant number of transformers to address the shortfalls and basically to deal with the challenge you raised in the first and the second question. We work very closely and accompanying me to the House today is our Principal Secretary, Alex Wachira; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Kenya Power Limited, Engineer Siror, and the CEO for Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), Eng. Dr. John Mativo. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I confirm that we are looking at the quality of transformers. We have also made requirements for procurement of transformers that can be localized to a market. We have developed standards and work with the international community to ensure we are able to manufacture and assemble the transformers in Kenya. In this procurement circle that I mentioned, we are getting adequate transformers to address the challenge of shortage of transformers. We have addressed those quality challenges so that we do not experience the challenge of transformers failing. One of the assurances on quality is to be given warranty, which is a statement of quality that means if there is a breakdown, you replace a transformer at no additional cost. We have taken all those precautions to ensure we protect our investments, our customers and downtime, which causes more loss. We are on top of that. Working together with my team, we assure Kenyans, through this House, that we will procure quality transformers and pitch for that warranty to confirm quality against failure we have seen in the past."
},
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"id": 1398858,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398858/?format=api",
"text_counter": 213,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, hon. Cabinet Secretary. From my dashboard, I have got a list of eight Members who I believe want to ask supplementary questions to the Cabinet Secretary. However, when you look at the number of questions to the second question No.20 by Sen. Chute, it is more or less related, but nationwide. Therefore, I would direct that we allow Sen. Chute to ask that Question. Thereupon, all supplementary questions by Members can be asked for the Cabinet Secretary to respond to all of them. Sen. Chute, proceed to ask Question No.20."
},
{
"id": 1398859,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398859/?format=api",
"text_counter": 214,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398860,
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Question No.020"
}
]
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