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{
    "id": 1563317,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1563317/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 52,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Oburu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 194,
        "legal_name": "Oburu Ngona Odinga",
        "slug": "oburu-odinga"
    },
    "content": "engaged the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as well as key private sector stakeholders. The committee's report was adopted and tabled on 31st July, 2024 with key recommendations aimed at enhancing public safety, including strengthening safety measures for the operation and handling of LPGs, simplifying the licensing process, enforcing zoning boundaries to avoid similar disasters in the future, reviewing zoning bylaws by counties to ensure proper classification of urban and peri-urban areas and compensating affected victims through the National Disaster Management Unit, among others. Mr. Speaker, Sir, further, the committee has met with the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the Council of Governors (CoG) and various state agencies to address critical issues including: classifying county government functions related to energy such as zoning, infrastructure development and land use regulations. Assessing the status of county energy plans and their integration into the National Integrated Energy Plan, reviewing the progress of the South Lokichar Field Development Plan, monitoring ongoing PPPs in the energy sector and investigating alleged procurement irregularities in the construction of Line 5 by the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC). In the coming quarter, the committee is initiating legislative proposals to amend the Energy Act 2019 to delete Section 223, which prohibits public entities, including county governments from imposing levies on public energy infrastructure without approval by the Cabinet Secretary and an amendment to the PPP Act to provide for greater transparency in the execution of PIP. Mr. Speaker, Sir, secondly, the committee is looking into the oil spill at Thange Ward, Makueni County. I was there over the last weekend after reports of rising cases of diabetes, liver and kidney disease among residents of Thange Ward, Makueni County, following an oil spill from a KPC pipeline in 2015. People are still being affected since 2015. Further, the committee will engage with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum on plans to distribute LPG cylinders and accessories by the State Department of Energy to 9.6 million low-income households and public facilities as promised. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to thank your office for the support accorded to the committee in undertaking its work. I also wish to acknowledge the secretariat’s support that the committee has received from the Office of the Clerk. Lastly, I wish to commend the Members of the committee for their commitment, diligence and dedication to the work and mandate of the committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}