Kenya Pipeline's clean energy programme reaches 190 households nationally
Pius Mwendwa, Kenya Pipeline Company's Acting Managing Director, holds a session in Changamwe, Mombasa, on November 22, 2024. Photo/KPC
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KPC Foundation, the corporate social investment arm of
Kenya Pipeline Company PLC (KPC PLC), has today expanded its Clean Energy
Transition Programme to Mukuru Viwandani, Nairobi, reaching an additional 100
vulnerable households with clean cooking solutions and strengthening
community fire preparedness.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with Vivo
Energy Kenya, builds on the successful Phase 1 rollout in Jomvu Kuu, Mombasa,
where 90 households benefited, bringing the total number of households reached
to 190.
Each beneficiary household in Viwandani will receive a
complete 6 kg LPG starter kit, comprising a gas cylinder, burner, grill, and an
initial gas fill—enabling an immediate transition to clean, safe, and efficient
cooking.
The program is anchored in the KPC Foundation
Strategic Plan 2025–2028, which prioritizes scalable, integrated solutions that
address environmental sustainability, community well-being, and resilience.
Speaking during the launch, KPC Managing Director
and Foundation chair Pius Mwendwa emphasized the importance of
practical, community-centered interventions.
“This initiative is a clear demonstration of how we
are turning strategy into real impact. We cannot ask communities to protect the
environment while they still rely on unsafe and unsustainable energy sources.
“Through this program, we are providing practical
solutions that improve daily life while advancing environmental conservation.”
“Our goal is to scale this model across communities near KPC operations nationwide—ensuring more families access clean energy, safer homes, and a better quality of life. This is how we deliver impact at scale.” He added.
Beyond clean cooking, the initiative also addresses
the persistent risk of fire outbreaks in informal settlements.
A total of 105 residents from Mukuru Viwandani
will undergo specialized firefighting training at the Morendat Institute of Oil
and Gas, equipping them to serve as community fire marshals and first
responders during emergencies.
KPC Foundation Manager Rachel Gathoni highlighted the
importance of combining solutions:
“This program is about more than changing how people
cook. It is about protecting families from harmful smoke, reducing fire risks,
and improving the overall quality of life. When communities are given practical
alternatives, real and lasting change becomes possible.”
The Clean Energy Transition Programme directly
supports KPC Foundation’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
commitments by promoting clean energy adoption and reducing reliance on
charcoal and firewood; improving public health by lowering exposure to indoor
air pollution; reducing environmental degradation and deforestation; and strengthening community resilience and safety systems
The initiative also contributes to Kenya’s broader
climate action agenda and sustainable development goals.
The program is being implemented in partnership with
Vivo Energy Kenya, the distributor and marketer of Shell-branded fuels and
Afrigas LPG, reinforcing the role of public-private partnerships in addressing
complex social and environmental challenges.
The KPC Foundation plans to scale the Clean Energy
Transition Programme across communities neighboring KPC operations in Nairobi,
Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kisumu.
By integrating clean energy access, safety
preparedness, and community empowerment, the Foundation aims to move
communities from vulnerability to resilience, from risk to safety, and from
basic survival to improved dignity and quality of life

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