MPs pledge site visist as KTDA gives progress on hydro power project

 

Tea Board of Kenya CEO Willy Mutai, PS energy Alex Wachira and KTDA acting CEO Francis Miano when they appeared before National Assembly’s committee on Public Petitions. [Daniel Kariuki, Standard]

The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has dismissed allegations of embezzlement in the implementation of hydro power projects.

Appearing before the parliamentary committee on Public Petitions, chaired by Beatrice Elachi, KTDA Acting CEO Engineer Francis Miano stated that the Chemosit project is currently 51 per cent complete.

While assuring tea farmers in Bomet County and Kericho County that the Chemosit and Kipsonoi Hydro Power Projects will be completed soon, Miano said once both projects are finalised, they will ease energy costs for tea factories, boosting efficiency and profitability.

The projects, being implemented under the Settet Power Generation Company, are expected to significantly reduce operational costs for seven tea factories in the region. These include Kapkoros, Mogogosiek, Kapset, Momul, Litein, Tegat, and Kapkatet factories.

The delegation, which included Vice Chairperson Engineer Musonik and other senior officials, appeared before the committee following a petition filed by Konoin MP Brighton Yegon, accusing KTDA of collecting over three billion shillings from farmers for hydro power development without delivering any completed project.

But Miano strongly refuted the allegations, terming them malicious and misleading. He clarified that only one billion shillings had been collected and that the funds were properly utilised in the construction process. According to him, the delays experienced were largely due to challenges in land acquisition.

He explained that acquiring land for the projects had been difficult because many landowners lacked proper documentation, while others inflated land prices. Additionally, he pointed out that as a private entity, KTDA does not have the legal authority to enforce compulsory land acquisition, further complicating the process.

Also appearing before the committee, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira emphasised the importance of KTDA’s hydro power projects, noting that the initiatives not only benefit tea factories but also contribute surplus electricity to the national grid.

Wachira dismissed claims that no hydro power projects had been completed, confirming that KTDA has successfully implemented several projects.

These include Metumi, Gura, Kirinyaga, Thuchi, Greater Meru, Aberdare, Nyakwana, Chania, and Chemuka, which collectively contribute approximately 50 megawatts of power to the grid.

Meanwhile, Tea Board of Kenya CEO Willy Mutai called on the government to support KTDA in acquiring land for small hydropower stations and securing wayleaves for power transmission.

He also urged the government to review wheeling tariffs and introduce a net metering framework to allow KTDA to utilise Kenya Power infrastructure for transmitting electricity generated by its hydro plants.

Mutai further proposed a multi-agency audit of all small hydropower projects undertaken by KTDA and smallholder tea factories.

He recommended that the process be overseen by the ministries of agriculture and energy, alongside the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Tea Board of Kenya.

The parliamentary committee concluded by pledging to visit the project sites to verify the status and progress of the hydro power developments.