Energy CS Charles Keter appears before the Senate Energy Committee at a past sitting. [Photo: The Star]
Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter has rubbished claims by the National Super Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga that some top Jubilee leaders were doing business with the Kenya Power and Lightening Company (KPLC) at the expense of tree farmers in the country.
Speaking during a campaign rally in Kericho county recently, the opposition leader accused the Jubilee administration of 'doing business with the lives of Kenyans' by entering into a contract with Kenya Power that will deprive tree farmers their source of income.
He alleged that some leaders in government have hijacked a tender to supply concrete poles to KPLC at the expense of tree farmers who thrived in the business.
“Some leaders in Jubilee have started a company to supply cement poles which sell at Sh19,000 each. The business has spoiled the market for tree farmers,” Raila was quoted by the Daily Nation speaking at Kericho Grounds on Thursday, last week.
But Keter dismissed the claims saying tree farmers were still benefiting doing business with the Kenya Power as they are still supplying poles used in the Last Mile Connectivity electricity programme.
"The government has opened up a huge market opportunity to farmers through the implementation of the Last Mile Connectivity connection project being rolled out across the country by the Jubilee administration," Keter said on Sunday.
The programme to distribute electricity to over 315,000 Kenyans is being financed by the Government of Kenya and African Development Bank (AfDB) at the cost of Sh13.5 Billion.