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{
    "id": 1398909,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398909/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 264,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Davis Chirchir",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Sometimes, we say the challenge in Bomet is the transit to Homa Bay, because most of the power that comes to that region comes through Bomet, Kisii, through Kegati, Homa Bay, Awendo. It is not only a transformer challenge that we are facing in that region, it is compounded by the transmission constraint. Therefore, with the power outage, transformer challenge and the load shedding that I talked about earlier on, impacts that area heavily. I want to beg to be allowed, with the Kenya Power CEO who is sitting here, REREC gave an apology, through Dr. Rose Mukalama, the CEO for REREC who was supposed to be here with us, but she is attending to something outside Nairobi today. Therefore, to address this issue of 21 and 63 transformers, like I said, we are in a procurement cycle of so many transformers. If Kenya Power was to stand and respond on my behalf, they will say, as soon as these transformers are delivered, we will address a number of transformers not only in Homa Bay but in the country in terms of replacement. However, we really need some public awareness and support in terms of the abuse that goes to the transformers. We can bring in a new transformer today but as we take power to the the rural areas and because we have our Technical Training Institutions (TTIs) and we have trained our people, they have learnt to sometimes do illegal connections, which are not dimensioned and they overdraw power from the transformer. You can burn the coil and therefore lose a transformer. A transformer today runs for anything up to Kshs1 million to Kshs2 million depending on the kilowatt rating. The important thing is to ensure that customers are legitimately connected to the transformer and they are paying their bills. So that, they do not take shortcuts and burn a transformer then blame the quality of the transformer and yet it is our culture of wanting to use free power for that purpose. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, allow us, Sen. Beatrice, to respond substantively. Possibly, because there is a specific question impacting on Homa Bay, to deal with you directly to address what we promised. Like I said, there is a transformer procurement cycle which is just closed. How much can Kenya Power pick up? I am sure of the 63, some have been addressed. However, any that has not been addressed not only for Homa Bay but for the whole country, allow us to address that and respond more specifically to the question of the 21 transformers for REREC and 63 for Kenya Power. I thank you."
}