MPs push for clean energy in prisons to reduce health risks
The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) raised concerns that prison facilities have continued to rely heavily on firewood, exposing inmates to respiratory illnesses.
Members of Parliament have urged the government to implement clean cooking energy solutions such as biogas and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) in prisons to reduce health risks and environmental damage.
The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) raised concerns that prison facilities have continued to rely heavily on firewood, exposing inmates to respiratory illnesses.
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The Committee, chaired by Caroli Omondi, recently conducted an inspection tour of prisons in Kilifi County, where firewood use remains widespread. Omondi emphasised the urgent need to shift to clean energy alternatives, including natural gas and charcoal briquettes.
“The continued reliance on firewood contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation and poses health risks to both inmates and staff. This move is critical in supporting the government’s broader efforts to reduce environmental pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change,” Omondi said.
The CIOC recommended that inmates be trained in producing charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste, providing them with practical skills while reducing dependence on traditional fuels. Prison staff would also benefit from capacity-building programs to operate and maintain clean energy systems.
The MPs further urged the government to accelerate the introduction of digital infrastructure in prisons to facilitate remote court hearings, which would help ease overcrowding and speed up judicial processes for remandees and inmates.
During the visit, the Committee commended ongoing rehabilitation programs, including vocational training, counselling, water harvesting and environmental management, supported by Mabati Rolling Mills, Mombasa Cement and the Red Cross.
Recently, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum launched a push to expand affordable LPG access nationwide, seven years after a similar programme stalled. Through the State Department for Petroleum, the ministry invited reputable firms to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) for funding, procurement and distribution of 6kg LPG cylinders complete with seed gas and accessories.
The initiative prioritises rural and peri-urban households where reliance on firewood and kerosene is high and forms part of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which emphasises affordable, clean cooking energy as a pillar of social welfare and environmental sustainability.
Under the proposed tripartite funding model, the government will cover 40 per cent of the cylinder cost, seed gas and accessories; private sector LPG companies will contribute another 40 per cent, while consumers will pay 20 per cent as a deposit.
“The LPG cylinders will be manufactured locally and fitted with track-and-trace technology under the supervision of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA),” reads the notice.
Selected firms will act as brand owners, tasked with refilling and maintaining the cylinders in line with the Petroleum (LPG) Regulations, 2025, and supplying burners and grills to households.
The programme aims to leverage local manufacturers, create jobs and scale up LPG penetration nationwide. Interested firms have until Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 11:00 am to submit proposals at the Ministry’s offices at KASNEB Towers II, Nairobi.
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