EPRA, KETRACO and GDC get new bosses

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Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has today named new heads for three state corporations: the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) and the Geothermal Development Company (GDC).

Edward Kinyua, an engineer, will lead EPRA as its Director-General.

Tom Odhiambo has been appointed managing director and chief executive of KETRACO, while Stephen Kipsang will hold the same roles at GDC.

Wandayi said the appointments, which take effect immediately, were approved under the State Corporations Act, the Companies Act and the Energy Act.

"The appointments, which are to take effect immediately, are a culmination of rigorous recruitment processes undertaken in accordance with the applicable laws and relevant Human Resource guidelines by the respective Boards of Directors of KETRACO, GDC and EPRA," he said.

The CS congratulated the appointees and said he was confident in their leadership as the Kenya Kwanza administration pursues its plans for the energy and petroleum sectors.

Kinyua succeeds Joseph Oketch, an engineer who has been acting EPRA chief since April, when Daniel Kiptoo resigned after his arrest by Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers.

Kiptoo was arrested with then Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban and then Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang over allegations that they approved the importation of substandard fuel that did not meet regulatory standards.

Police also allegedly recovered money during the respective raids at the homes of the three officials.

The three have not been charged with any crime.

Kinyua was previously EPRA’s Director of Petroleum and Gas with his some of his roles being the development and implementation of strategies for the regulation of the country’s petroleum subsector.

He has more than 14 years of experience in the petroleum sector and he joined EPRA after stints in the private sector which include at Total Kenya, where he served in petroleum-related roles.

Until his appointment, Odhiambo, was KETRACO’s Acting General Manager Finance, where he was in charge of the company’s financial management functions.

He is a finance management professional with over 19 years in the field in both private and public sectors, had spent 10 years at KETRACO including a stint at the Finance and Strategy departments.

Before KETRACO he was the Head of Management Accounts at the United States International University (USIU).

Prior to Kipsang’s substantive appointment as GDC boss, he held the post in acting capacity for the 11 months.

He has over 15 years’ experience in Finance and Accounting and prior to joining GDC, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for CIMERWA Cement Company Limited in Rwanda.