[Stoves] Puzzle of two energy dockets pushing conflicting agenda

[Cookswell Jikos]

''Petroleum Institute of East Africa General Manager Wanjiku Manyara said
the country has done so much to push for the use of LPG to the extent that
it would be “shocking” to have someone still promoting the use of firewood
or charcoal.

“They are not solving anything by promoting use of biomass because even the
current pandemic has showed us that one is more vulnerable when they
already have a compromised lung due to respiratory infections largely
caused by indoor pollution. We’re losing 21,600 Kenyans per year according
to a report the ministry itself presented last year. It would be ridiculous
that these contradictions exist in a country where everything has been put
right to deepen the use of LPG, including regulations and local
manufacturing of gas cylinders,” Ms Manyara said.

She blamed the international community for promoting the use of the
charcoal stoves branded as clean cook stoves, which, she said, are
misleading as the prototype presented as useful in reducing pollution is
quite different from what is actually sold to households.

According to the PIEA boss, the World Bank and other NGOs promoting the use
of the so-called clean cookstoves should direct similar energy towards
driving the adoption of LPG because economically, the costs are the same as
those of the six-kilogramme cylinder and burner.

Several NGOs are said to be supporting the Renewable Energy Department in
training local artisans to produce the household firewood stoves in Lodwar.
Organisations such as the World Food Programme, Practical Action and US
African Development Foundation have been involved in the wood-driven
cooking solution.

“WFP funded institutional clean cookstoves in approximately 40 percent of
schools across Lodwar and Turkana county since 2011. Deep field presence
makes NGOs good partners for distribution and outreach/education
activities,” the World Bank wrote in the report targeting cooking energy in
Lodwar and Turkana in 2017.

RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Another NGO, Lokado, is said to be actively producing a wood burning stove,
Maendeleo, that is distributed free of charge in Kakuma. The NGO is
supported by UNHCR, which has also contracted it to procure firewood that
is donated to refugees in 10kg bundles per family member every two months,
according to the World Bank report.

The clash in the clean energy cooking agenda also increases the burden on
the Ministry of Health, which will now continue battling respiratory
infections such as pneumonia and acute bronchitis said to be largely
contributed by household pollutions and causing significant loss of lives
in the country.

The ministry considers acute lower respiratory infections to be the second
largest cause of death and are linked to 26 per cent of all deaths reported
in hospitals in Kenya.

Government doublespeak on clean cooking energy has been one of the greatest
set backs in eliminating the use of biomass for cooking. Last year State
House left many in shock after it advertised a tender for the supply of
charcoal after the government banned logging.''

https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Puzzle-of-two-energy-dockets-pushing-conflicting-agenda/996-5549382-dmvs96/index.html






Teddy Kinyanjui
Sustainability Director



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