Marsabit County ordered to give details on 300MW wind farm project

Source: Capital FM Kenya
Author: Wangechi Purity

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 20 - Marsabit County Governor Mohamud Ali has been ordered to provide information and records on a 300 megawatt (MW) wind farm project by the China Water and Electricity Company within 7 days.

This follows an application request dated April 20, 2023, made by James Gitau, demanding the county government give information regarding the date when the project was approved by the Ministry of Energy and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

In a letter addressed to the county government by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), the devolved unit should disclose information on the project, stating that the information is a matter of public interest.

"The Commission determines that the information requested by the Applicant is public information/records held by the Respondent and thus hereby orders compliance," the letter read in part.

The applicant also demanded information regarding how the county acquired the land for the project, the office that granted the land approval, and the list of all energy projects in the county, including those approved by previous county leadership.

"The commission having carefully considered the request for information contained in the Applicant's letter dated April 20 2023, pursuant to Powers granted by section 22(3)(a)(i) and 23(2)(a) of the Access to Information Act 2016, the Commission hereby orders that the governor County Government of Marsabit, do facilitate access to information and records held relating to the request for information made by James Gitau," stated Lucy Ndung'u, Commissioner CAJ.