Charles Keter summoned by parliament over Turkana wind power project

Barely a fortnight after former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Charles resigned to run for Kericho Governor, he has been summoned by the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee to answer to how the Lake Turkana wind power project left consumers paying for power they never consumed.

Members of the committee found out that the wind power project was carried out without feasibility study and without Kenya Power even positioned in the drafting of the power purchase agreement.

Kenya Power PLC Ag. CEO Rosemary Odour, appearing before the Committee, said she could not find documentation to prove who prepared the contract.

“I have not explicitly met documentation to confirm who drafted the contract,” she said.

The wind power project with a 300-megawatts capacity was completed in January 2017, while the transmission facility was done in 2018.

MPs were also surprised that the independent engineer supposed to oversee and report the progress and quality of work during the implementation of the project, was appointed by the company that undertook the project with the approval of Kenya Power.

It was also established that there was no legal consultation done during the signing of the contract, with no records showing consultation of the Attorney General.

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The delay in power transmission will now cost the government up to Sh16 billion, of which Sh10 billion will be paid by consumers for the next six years.

Turkana wind power project is also yet to pay the government excesses of Sh700 million citing incomplete bank details.

Efforts by the Committee to get answers from Kenya power officials did not bear any fruit, forcing it to summon the former CS Keter, former PS Joseph Njoroge, former Kenya Power CEO Bernard Ngugi, Kenya Power Board Chairperson Vivienne Yeda, and current Energy PS Gordon Kihalangwa.