A jiko with burning charcoal.
A parliamentary committee is now demanding procurement documents for 5,500 energy-saving jikos purchased by the Ministry of Energy at a cost of Sh18.9 million to determine whether taxpayers got value for money.
The National Assembly Special Funds Accounts Committee has also demanded a sample of the jikos to establish whether one is worth Sh3, 436, even as members criticised the Ministry of Energy over alleged discrimination in the distribution of the jikos.
During a meeting with Principal Secretary for the State Department for Energy Alex Wachira, the committee also questioned why only six counties were selected for the pilot project.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta makes his remarks during the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit in Mombasa on January 29, 2025.
Conceptualised under the retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, the energy-saving jikos are intended to fulfil Kenya’s national obligations under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 to achieve universal access to clean cooking solutions by 2028.
Nyeri, Laikipia, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Bomet, and Kitui counties were identified as pilot areas for the project.
Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed questioned why some counties were left out, terming the move by the ministry discriminatory.
“We are 47 county MPs, you only chose a few of them, and we are feeling bad about this. Even up to now, you have not covered other counties,” Ms Mohammed said.
Ms Mohammed, who is also the chairperson of the committee, directed the PS to ensure all regions are considered.
“Next time, consider everyone because now I feel like Nyeri is more important than Migori,” she said.
Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, who is also a member of the committee, demanded a sample of the jikos to confirm whether one is worth Sh3, 436.
“We also need the procurement documents of the jikos so that we can see whether there was value for money,” Mr Kalasinga said.
He criticised the PS for confining the distribution of the jikos to only one area.
“It is not fair to lump the jikos in one county. The 2,840 remaining jikos should have been distributed equally among the 47 counties. This could have resulted in each county getting about 60 jikos. However small it might be, it would have made a difference,” he said.
“I expected equity in the distribution of the jikos,” added Teso South MP Mary Emaase.
According to the audit report currently being examined by the committee, the Ministry of Energy procured 5,500 energy-saving jikos at a cost of Sh18, 899,000 for distribution to low-income households as a measure to minimise forest destruction.
However, the Auditor General says a review of documents provided in respect of the programme revealed that 2,000 jikos were issued to women representatives for Nyeri, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Bomet, and Kitui counties for distribution in their areas of representation.
The auditors noted that despite the ministry providing for the purchase of the jikos in its annual work plan, there was no evidence that prerequisite studies were conducted on indoor air quality to measure carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other gases in households.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.
The Auditor General also pointed out that the ministry did not justify the selected areas for the distribution of the jikos.
According to the report, physical verification revealed that out of the 3,500 jikos purchased, 660 jikos were distributed to beneficiaries in Nyeri, Kirinyaga East, Kirinyaga West, Nyahururu Sub-County, and Mwea Sub-County.
“The remaining 2,840 acquired at a cost of Sh9, 780,149 were yet to be accounted for. In the circumstances, value for money incurred in the purchase of energy-saving jikos amounting to Sh18, 899,000 for distribution to households could not be confirmed,” reads the report.
Mr Wachira told the committee that all issues raised by the Auditor General had been addressed by the ministry.
He said a list of beneficiaries who received the jikos, local purchase orders, inspection reports, and other procurement documents had since been provided.
However, the Auditor General insisted on Tuesday that the office was yet to receive all the documents relating to the purchase of the jikos and that the matter remained partially resolved.
The PS also assured the committee that equity would be observed in the next distribution cycle.
“We have taken note of the concerns of members and action will follow. This was just a pilot project and we are still procuring. Inclusivity will be ensured for those who did not benefit,” Mr Wachira said.
The committee maintained that it would not clear the audit query on the purchase of the jikos until all required documents are presented for review.
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