The government has suspended operating licenses to 49 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) companies for non-compliance following the Embakasi explosion incident.
This even as it emerged that the victims of the explosion could wait longer to get assistance from the government.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has promised that the government would compensate the victims of the explosion.
Appearing before the Senate energy committee on Thursday, Energy CS Davies Chirchir said the National Disaster Committee domiciled in Gachagua’s office, is yet to update him on the process of compensating the lot.
“From here, I am going to call the chairman of the (National Disaster) committee to know where they have reached and I will confirm,” Chirchir said.
The CS revealed that an assessment audit done by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority in all 138 LPG plants in the country showed some were located within a radius of 200 meters from residential areas.
As such, they were rated risky to residents, prompting the closure.
Chirchir explained there exist gaps in surveillance as the enforcement department is understaffed.
The recent efforts by EPRA came amidst a push by legislators on laxity by the regulator to enforce safeguards to deter the recurrence of the Embakasi explosion incident that claimed seven lives.
“We learnt of the operation of a plant on the midnight that the incident happened. We had demolished the LPG plant before and if we arrested them before the incident happened, we would have averted this,” CS Chirchir said.
By Star