Energy CS Keter Fined Sh500,000 for Snubbing Senate Summons

Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter has been fined Sh500,000 for snubbing Senate summons.

The CS failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Energy on Thursday irking Senators.

He had been summoned to provide an update on the situation at the Kenya Power and Lighting Company KPLC where workers recently threatened to down tools over management issues.

Kenya Electrical Traders & Allied Workers Union (KETAWU) accused the KPLC Board of sidestepping management in running the firm.

“The current Board though vigilant has gone into micromanagement and frustrated all internally generated ideas in favour of non-actors in the sector,” said KETAWU secretary-general Ernest Nadome.

Read: Energy CS Keter Declines to Appear Before Senate in Fuel Prices Probe

The union called off the planned strike two days ago after striking a 30-day negotiation deal with the Ministry of Energy and Kenya Power Management.

This was the second time this week that the CS had failed to honour Senate summons.

On Tuesday, the CS failed to appear before the Senate to respond to questions regarding hiked fuel prices.

The CS had been summoned to appear before a committee of the Whole House alongside his Petroleum counterpart John Munyes.

Also Read: Vandalism Of Geothermal Power Line From Naivasha Pushes Cost Of Production Higher

But he declined the invitation saying the matter falls within the Ministry of Petroleum.

On the other hand, CS Munyes asked the House to postpone the meeting citing foreign travel.

Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina, who chairs the Energy Committee, had convened the meeting to probe the rise in fuel prices in the September review.

Also Read: Senate Summons Petroleum and Energy CSs Over Fuel Prices

This follows the removal of the fuel subsidy on Tuesday, September 14, that saw pump prices hit a historic high.

The subsidies amounted to Ksh7.10 on a litre of petrol, Ksh9.90 on diesel and Ksh11.36 on kerosene.

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