EPRA Boss Oimeke Fired Over Corruption Brags He’ll Be Back In Office Citing Uhuru And Matiang’i Backing

Justice Hellen Wasilwa on August 12 temporarily stopped the EPRA board and the Energy and that of Petroleum and Mining Cabinet secretaries from deliberating the renewal of Mr Oimeke’s tenure, which ended on August 1.

Mr Oimeke, who was in office from 2017, is eligible for a second term but Emmanuel Wanjala rushed to court, arguing that the renewal should not be automatic but it should be tied to procedural requirements.

Oimeke was accused of mismanagement, abuse of office, corruption and nepotism amongst many other issues raised by Wanjala.

He was immediately replaced by Ms Mueni Mutung’a, the firm’s Corporation Secretary /Director of Legal Affairs, who’s currently serving in the acting position.

However, Oimeke is not going down easily instead has folded his sleeves and ready to take the board on.

In a post on his Facebook that he quickly deleted, Oimeke bragged about having the backing of President Uhuru and Interior CS who’ll ensure his smooth return to the office despite the gross allegations labeled against him.

“Soon and very soon, am returning to office at EPRA courtesy of HE President Uhuru Kenyatta, Hon CS Dr Fred Matinag’i and CS Hon Charles Keter. What will my distractors say? I remain committed to my country Kenya and able leadership under HE Uhuru Kenyatta!” Mr Oimeke wrote yesterday on his Facebook page.

Screenshot of the post pulled down.

Mr Oimeke’s tenure has been marked by corruption, nepotism, favoritism and lacklustre leadership in executing the mandate of EPRA.

Illegal LPG Plants

Pavel Oimeke is alleged to receive bribed to license illegal LPG filling plants. He then engages in PR stunts and side-shows aimed at misleading Kenyans.

He was supposed to be arrested during the #SwitchOffKPLC campaign but it is said he managed to bribed detectives to walk a free man, despite being a criminal linked to the rot in the energy sector.

The #SwitchOffKPLC campaign has exposed the rot in the energy sector and particularly EPRA.

Recruitment scandal

“The rot at ERC is appalling and most employees are staying there to just earn a salary. The man has turned the Commission upside down in less than two years since his appointment”, wrote a staff of EPRA, then Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The anonymous source further said, ‘Out of 10 employees, 8 of them are from his village. They have zero skills and tribalism reigns supreme’.

Procurement/Corruption

DPP needs to move in to unearth the irregular award of tenders at ERC. He terminates procurement contracts anyhow without valid reasons if you’re not cooperating. Also, substandard goods are accepted upon his coercion of employees to sign for them. It is believed that these companies are either his/his operatives.

In Oimeke’s time, he has engaged in useless regulation of fuel/gas prices which does not make sense or serve the purpose to alleviate the suffering of Kenyans.

He has overseen Energy Injustice which has left the sector more corrupt than when EPRA did not exist. This has led to some quarters calling for the disbandment of the Commission.

Oimeke also opened a lot of lawsuits against the commission due to his ‘eating ways’

His replacement, Ms. Mutung’a, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi. She also holds a Diploma in Legal practice from the Kenya School of Law. She is a member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries.