The Senate Standing Committee on Energy and the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Opiyo Wandayi, were on Monday locked in a heated exchange over the Energy Amendment Bill, 2025, during a session held at Bunge Tower, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Dr. Oburu Odinga (Siaya), turned tense as senators sought to understand why the Ministry opposed key provisions of the bill, which seeks to restructure how energy levies are managed and distributed.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna demanded clarity on the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) levy, questioning whether the Ministry was aware of alternative revenue streams used by the utility company.
In his response, CS Wandayi defended the current arrangement, warning that regulating the levy as proposed in the bill would be difficult and could affect KPLC’s operations. He said the company may have developed “innovative income-generating mechanisms,” which are common among large corporations.
However, Senator Beatrice Ogolla (Nominated) dismissed the CS’s explanation, arguing that the Ministry’s position undermined the principles of devolution.
She received support from Senator Danson Mungatana (Kilifi), who emphasized that energy revenues should benefit both levels of government.
Senator Dr. Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), however, defended the CS, warning that devolving the levy to county governments could lead to weak accountability and possible misuse of funds.
CS Wandayi urged senators to consider the views of all key stakeholders before passing the bill, noting that the matter is highly sensitive and could impact the entire energy sector.
