CONTACTS: +254 726879488 (Mobile)
+254770 455 116 (Office)
National Oil has announced plans to unveil an ambitious cooking gas campaign aimed at distribution clean gas cylinders to Kenyan families across the country.
The project dubbed Mwananchi Gas is estimated to cost Sh 5.6 billion per year and will see 4.3 million new cooking gas cylinders distributed to Kenyan households in the next three years.
“The project will also aim to enhance uptake of cooking gas as a preferred source of household energy in addressing social, health and environmental challenges related to the domestic use of biomass energy,” the company said.
National Oil aims to cut down the cost of 3kg and 6kg cooking gas packages by 64percent and 61percent respectively through the campaign – which will be financed from a mix of sources including internally generated revenues, debt and capital injection from partners.
“Through the Mwananchi Gas project, we target to raise cooking gas penetration in the country from the current 9percent to 45percent of total households in the next three years,” said National Oil Chief executive Sumayya Hassan-Athmani.
The firm said it will distribute the 4.3 million cylinders mostly through women and youth groups which will in turn create employment opportunities for 1,500 to 2,000 women and youth groups.
“Mwananchi Gas project will help in the reduction of mortality associated with household air pollution by 50percent and promote entrepreneurship in the country,” she said.
Cooking gas consumption in Kenya ranks the lowest in Africa and the low uptake is being attributed to inadequate infrastructure, high cost of cooking and lighting equipment and weak distribution network.
A study done in 2013 by a London-based firm Dalberg Research estimates that 15,000 Kenyans die annually due to household air pollution while more than 40 per cent of childhood deaths are linked to respiratory illnesses.