Kenyans will have to cough at least Sh2 billion, to cater for the intended installation of the leak detection system for the newly established line along Nairobi to Mombasa.
The line was built by Zakhem International Construction firm from Lebanon at a cost of Sh49 billion and has a length of 450 kilometres.
Its completion was projected for September 2016, but a chain of delays would push its commissioning to 2018. Shengli Engineering and Consulting Company, a Chinese firm was also hired to supervise its construction at a cost of Sh12 billion.
Despite Zakhem company offering to install the leakage detection system during its construction for Sh400 million, KPC did not allow this. Instead, it managers sort an alternative for the leakage detection system to be procured separately, a decision which is still subject to investigations by the National Assembly Energy Committee.
According to Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman a committee member, KPC officials are yet to convince the National Assembly Energy Committee why Zakhem was denied the chance to install the system.
"If only the leakage detector installation by Zakhem was given a nod, Kenyans would not reach the extent of paying the Sh2 billion that they are being asked for, all just because of KPC management," Osman decried.
In a letter dated May 2019 from Zakhem to KPC, the construction firm outlined how leakages and environmental destruction would have been minimised following the installation.
"The installation was cancelled the very last minute," said Zakhem's Project Manager John Begisen.
Reportedly, billions of money have been lost through leakages and illegal oil siphoning with an estimated 194,000 litres being lost through spillage last year alone in Kiboko, Makueni County, something Zakhem had foreseen.
"We had already foreseen such a problem, owing to our vast experience in construction, repairs and replacement of existing pipelines," read part of the letter.