The government has expanded its Gas Yetu Clean Cooking Programme to Nyandarua County, where 20,000 low-income households will receive subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) starter kits as part of efforts to increase access to clean, safe and affordable cooking energy.
Petroleum Principal Secretary Kello Harsama launched the programme in Ol Kalou, saying the initiative is designed to help households transition from firewood and charcoal to cleaner cooking fuels while reducing household energy costs.
“We are proud to roll out this programme to beneficiaries drawn from all five wards of Ol Kalou Constituency, ensuring that every ward has an equal opportunity to benefit from this transformative clean cooking initiative,” Harsama said.
Beneficiaries to receive complete LPG starter kits
Households registered under the programme will receive a subsidised LPG starter kit comprising a quality gas cylinder pre-filled with cooking gas, a burner and a grill.
The government says the initiative aims to ease the cost of switching to LPG, particularly for low-income families that continue to rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking.
Officials noted that increasing the use of clean cooking energy will improve access to safer household energy while supporting the country’s broader clean energy agenda.
Programme targets health and environmental benefits
According to Harsama, the Gas Yetu programme is expected to significantly reduce exposure to harmful indoor air pollution, which remains a major health concern for many households using traditional cooking fuels.
He said the initiative will also lower household cooking expenses, reduce dependence on biomass fuels and help protect forests by discouraging the use of firewood and charcoal.
The programme also supports Kenya’s climate change commitments by promoting cleaner energy sources and reducing emissions associated with traditional cooking methods.
The Principal Secretary urged beneficiaries to observe all LPG safety measures and strictly follow handling guidelines issued by the National Oil Company of Kenya (NOCK) to ensure safe use of the cooking gas.
Nyandarua becomes fifth county to benefit
Nyandarua is the fifth county to benefit from the Gas Yetu programme following earlier rollouts in Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos and Kitui.
The government plans to continue expanding the initiative to other counties as it works towards increasing nationwide access to clean cooking energy.
The launch was attended by Senior Economic Advisor to the President Moses Kuria, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira, Blue Economy and Fisheries Principal Secretary Betsy Njagi, and National Oil Company of Kenya Managing Director Duncan Waziri, among other government officials.
The expansion of the programme forms part of the government’s broader strategy to increase the adoption of clean energy technologies, improve public health and reduce environmental degradation caused by the widespread use of biomass fuels.
