MPs want EPRA to use vernacular radio stations to explain fuel prices, shortages

MPs want EPRA to use vernacular radio stations to explain fuel prices, shortages

The committee, chaired by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, made the call during a meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru County, on Wednesday, to review the implementation of the 2025/2026 financial year budget.

Members of Parliament now want the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to use vernacular radio stations to educate the public on fuel prices and shortages and explain how global developments affect petroleum prices in Kenya.

According to the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy, the regulator needs to improve public communication so more Kenyans understand fuel price changes and developments in the petroleum sector.

The committee, chaired by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, made the call during a meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru County, on Wednesday, to review the implementation of the 2025/2026 financial year budget.

The meeting brought together Principal Secretary for Petroleum Kello Harsama, KenGen CEO designate Eng Ronoh Kibet, EPRA Director General Edward Kinyua and officials from the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).

During the meeting, committee member and Ruiru MP Simon Kingara questioned whether EPRA routinely conducted civic education to help the public understand changes in fuel prices.

In response, Kinyua said the authority had started engaging television stations and vernacular media to explain developments in the petroleum sector. He maintained that EPRA operates independently and is not influenced by external interests.

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Kinyua added that public participation would be undertaken whenever necessary.

Besides public communication, the committee called for stronger action against fuel adulteration, warning that the practice threatens the quality of petroleum products and consumer protection.

Gikaria challenged the State Department for Petroleum and EPRA to tighten controls over the petroleum sector. “You need control over this business of petroleum adulteration,” he told the officials.

The legislators also raised concerns over delays affecting the implementation of key energy projects, with the State Department attributing differences in budget absorption to procurement challenges and the slow implementation of planned programmes.

The department singled out the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) reticulation programme among the projects affected by delays.

It reported 86 per cent absorption of subsidy funds, citing delays in submitting oil marketers’ claims to EPRA for the June 15 to July 14, 2026, pricing cycle.

The cycle recorded stabilisation costs of Sh10.3 billion, which were received in July 2026.

The PS further explained that the government had opted to engage a private developer for the proposed oil refinery because the investment required was too expensive for the country to undertake independently.

Meanwhile, Chepalungu MP Victor Mandazi sought clarification on the transportation of petroleum products, questioning whether road tankers remained the main means of transport or whether pipeline infrastructure was being used.

EPRA also reported progress in regulating Kenya’s upstream petroleum and coal sectors, including advancing major projects, reviewing technical submissions and strengthening environmental monitoring and compliance.

The committee further reviewed NuPEA’s budget, which increased from Sh743.8 million to Sh866.2 million following supplementary allocations.

The review is part of Parliament’s continued scrutiny of public spending and the implementation of programmes in the energy sector.