Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has dismissed the Ministry of Energy’s response over the controversial transfer of a Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) project to Nigerian firm Asharami Synergy, terming it a deliberate breach of law and a betrayal of public trust.

“I have rejected the Ministry of Energy’s response regarding the controversial handover of the Kenya Pipeline Company LPG project to Asharami Synergy,” Omtatah said in a statement posted on X dated June 13, 2025.

He raised the red flag after the ministry failed to explain why KPC, a state agency that had already invested Ksh192 million in preparatory works, was excluded from the project.

“These laws are not optional. They are the foundation of accountability in a democracy. The Ksh192 million was spent by Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) on preparatory work: demand surveys, environmental & social impact assessments, and engineering designs,” Omtatah noted.

“If we give in to impunity today, we lose the Republic tomorrow.” He accused the ministry of contemptuously disregarding the Public Finance Management Act and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, both of which are anchored in the Constitution to safeguard public resources.

According to Omtatah, the handover of the project without a competitive process or public consultation points to possible fraud.

“That is outright fraud,” he asserted, demanding transparency and accountability in dealings involving taxpayer-funded infrastructure.

Initially, the LPG project was designed to lower the cost of cooking gas and make it more accessible to households.

However, the unexpected reassignment to Asharami Synergy has sparked public outrage and questions about vested interests in the deal.

In response to what he termed a shallow and evasive statement from the Energy Ministry, Omtatah announced plans to visit the project site in Mombasa alongside the Senate Committee on Energy.

“We will meet with the project-affected persons and the people of Mombasa to uncover the truth,” he said.

The senator emphasised that the fight is not just about a single project but about defending national sovereignty and the rule of law.

“Kenya belongs to her people, not cartels. I will not blink. I will not bargain with corruption. If defending our national interest demands fire, I will bring fire.”

As the Senate Energy Committee prepares for the site visit, pressure continues to mount on the ministry to come clean on the circumstances surrounding the handover and whether Kenyans are getting value for their money.