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{
    "id": 1549668,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1549668/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 384,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, allow me to start by appreciating Members of the Committee on Energy for doing a good job as far as this Report is concerned. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when this incident happened in Embakasi, I was able to get to the site. It was an extremely sad day. I saw young children, mothers, men, some people who had lost their lives, and some trying to come to terms with what had happened. Seeing some with their skins badly burnt was quite sad. I am happy that the Committee on Energy was able to take up this matter. Having read the report briefly, on matters energy, different bodies and stakeholders come together or have the mandate to license these businesses, as far as LPG gas is concerned. They range from the counties themselves, especially Nairobi City County, which now offers the business license and permits. We also have institutions such as the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). We also have Energy Dealers Association that were also able to appear. We also have the gas explosive experts from EPRA and the Petroleum Institute of East Africa. This composition of stakeholders is very important because it is them who guide as far as the policies are concerned. Having just briefly looked at the report, these are policies that also talk about construction permits. You have to be given approval to be able to do the construction of a site of LPG. You have to also be licensed as far as the facilities are concerned. So, it is deeper, not just any normal business the way people just decide to operate a specific business. It requires intense policies, intense adherence. Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir, if the different institutions were able to ensure that this company, I think called Maxxis Energy Limited, were able to adhere to the standards, we would not be even in this position discussing what transpired. People lost lives and enterprises. I saw business people who had lost 99 percent of their stock. They had to shut down and to restart. From this report I have seen close to 140 petroleum businesses that have been licensed. It is a high time that they get to the bottom to ensure that the standards that are required for one to be able to set up these facilities are adhered to. As I have listened to the Leader of Majority speaker giving his submissions, he has mentioned the issue of corruption. This is not the first time in this country that we see such explosions taking place. God forbid that we do not wake up again in the near future and get such news. I would also wish that the Committee takes it further that the licensed approved companies by the recommended institutions give further report on the current status of these particular facilities such as inspection reports on the condition of these companies. Out of these 140 companies, you realize probably one individual owns like five of them, but the names are just different. If he has decided to do shortcuts, it will not just be one facility, but the five that this person is operating. It is important that the Committee also takes advantage of the report of the companies that are licensed and go deeper to get in to understand their status. Are they 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."
}