Kenya Pipeline boss says company committed to affordable energy

Barely one year after assuming office, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director, Joe Sang, has set in motion several projects aimed at consolidating the company’s position as a major player in the oil and gas sector.

In a statement, Mr Sang said that to ensure the success of the projects, he moved to streamline operations in the company, after his appointment in April last year, to ensure achievement of the company’s mission and vision.

“My personal reflection for the one year I have been the MD is to take pride in what we’ve been able to achieve as an organisation,” he said.

“With the support of a dedicated and committed staff, we have witnessed remarkable progress on the replacement of the Nairobi-Mombasa line, we’ve set up additional truck loading facilities in Eldoret and the inauguration of Morendant Centre of Excellence,” he said.

The replacement of the existing Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline that has been in operation for 38 years, is a Vision 2030 flagship project which started in 2014, that involves the construction of the 20 inch diameter 450km pipeline.

The project, set to be completed this year will ensure sustained, reliable and efficient transportation of petroleum products in the region to meet the increased demands for an increased flow rate for phase one of 1 million litres per hour.

Kenya Pipeline also seeks to construct storage terminals in Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu and Sagana to supply marketers and distributors across the country, significantly driving down the cost of cooking gas by locking out unscrupulous suppliers.

This project, according to Mr Sang, is also in line with the government’s effort to provide clean, safe and efficient household energy, to replace kerosene and firewood.

Mr Sang however decries external attacks from proponents of corruption and cartels in the oil and gas industry displeased by his move to streamline operations at the Kenya Pipeline Company, rid it of corruption and cut off cartels.

Despite this, the KPC boss says that he would not be deterred in his efforts to see the projects through and provide affordable cooking gas to Kenyans.

Since his appointment, Mr Sang has moved to clean the otherwise corruption-riddle company by initiating job evaluation and analysis and movements of staff to new stations.

Kenya Pipeline has also set aside a Ksh 14.5 million annual scholarship scheme to benefit bright and disabled students from poor backgrounds in all the 47 counties as a way of giving back to the community.

The fund will also help train persons with disability countrywide on how to access government procurement opportunities.

According to Mr Joe Sang, the Inuka Scholarship programme, which is in partnership with National Council for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) will provide financial support of a maximum Ksh 80,000 per student per year for needy boys and girls living with disabilities joining secondary school from all the 47 counties in Kenya.

“In line with our new corporate social investment policy, we have embarked on this noble initiative to empower and transform the lives of young persons with disability. Through the Inuka Scholarship programme, we will identify and nurture talented young disabled children from across the country,” said Sang in a statement to the media.

He added: “As KPC, we strongly believe that this programme will not only empower our disabled young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, it will also enable them realize their lifetime dreams. The Inuka – Swahili word for ‘rise up’ – scholarship will have a transformative impact on Kenya’s youthful disabled population.