Kenyan government still pursuing Lamu coal plant, confirm Energy CS Charles Keter
On 22 January 2020, KTN News conducted an interview with Energy CS Keter, while at a business to government forum on energy sectors investments at Strathmore University. Correspondent Noah Kipkemboi asked Keter, “The world now is very sensitive on matters of green energy. I remember one of the biggest stories in 2019 was the coal plant in Lamu. It was very touchy, left, right and centre. Just bring us up to date. Is the project ongoing? Was it stopped? Because we saw one of the funders, the African Development Bank, pulling out of the project.”
CS Keter: “Well, the NEMA Tribunal stopped the project, saying that there are one or two things to be done. Because in the world right now we have the clean coal, which most of the countries are going. Even if you see some of the countries are investing in that. Because, if Kenya wants to be industrial, we have to have a good energy mix. And that’s what what we are saying is, if you see, we are in conformity with COP 20, which was passed in France, that it has to be 70% renewable. Already we are doing 95%. And once we clear the remaining 5% of thermals, then we will work towards. So we wait for the Environmental Tribunal to make a finding.” [Walks away.]
deCOALonize points of correction: NEMA (National Environmental Management Authority) and Amu Power were defendants in the National Environmental Tribunal case. On 26 June 2019, NET ruled against them and cancelled the ESIA licence for Lamu coal plant project (which NEMA had issued to Amu Power). The Tribunal further ruled that Amu Power must undertake a fresh, new ESIA process for the project. Amu Power has appealed, the community coalition cross-appealed, and the matter is pending at the Environmental and Land Court in Malindi.
The government had last directly signaled its intention to move forward with Lamu coal project in June 2019, when it held a press briefing on the topic:
