South Uyoma Residents Shape Siaya’s Draft Energy Policy Through Active Public Participation
By Elizabeth Ochogo
The County Government of Siaya, through the Department of Public Works and Energy, conducted public participation on the draft Energy Policy. Once deliberated and passed, the policy is expected to promote good governance, establish sustainable funding models, and strengthen energy and climate resilience frameworks.
The exercise also seeks to address key sector challenges, including heavy reliance on firewood. If passed without amendment, the policy will guide how and when residents of Siaya may use charcoal for cooking. It will require residents who use firewood and charcoal to plant trees before harvesting existing ones for domestic purposes.
In addition, the policy proposes allocating specific villages and wards as sites for gas refilling plants and buying points. This measure aims to ease the burden on residents who currently travel long distances to access the commodity.
The policy further seeks to protect electricity consumers from being short-changed by Kenya Power and Lighting Company by ensuring accurate energy consumption levels for specified wards or villages based on demographics.
It calls for the establishment of a standalone Energy Directorate to manage carbon credit funds, donor funding, and policy resilience throughout the implementation period. Other provisions emphasize inclusive public participation, ensuring that youth, women, men, and persons with disabilities are represented in decision-making and funding processes.
For smooth implementation, the technical team recommends that the policy include training and workshop modules for residents, including the youth, to help them adapt to ongoing changes.
The proposed governance structure will work in tandem with the national government and cascade down to ward and village administrative units, including the formation of management committees.
The policy also provides for the use of biomass and other environmentally safe energy sources that support climate change resilience. It further seeks to regulate solar energy spaces and distribution in order to cushion residents from high electricity tariffs.
Residents of South Uyoma Ward complained that they had not been given adequate time to study and analyse the policy. They requested the technical team to allow them more time to read the document and promised to forward their submissions through the local ward administration.
The public participation exercise continued in Ugenya, Bondo, Gem, Alego Usonga, and Ugunja. After consolidation, the policy was presented to the County Executive Committee chaired by Governor James Orengo. It will then proceed to the County Assembly for deliberation and debate, with or without amendments. Thereafter, it will return to the Executive for the Governor’s assent before being implemented in the management of the energy sector.
