Kisumu County Secretary Mr. Geoffrey Kigochi (2nd right) exchanges documents with CCAK CEO Mr. David Njugi (2 nd left) after the signing of the MOU . They are flanked by County Energy and Industrialization Department Chief Officer Mr Daniel Okia (right) Victor Gathogo (left) from the SNV (Picture by Jacob Owiti)
By Jacob Owiti
County Government of Kisumu department of Energy and Industrialization has today signed a two-year Memorandum of Agreement with the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya- CCAK under the Voice for Change Partnership.
The partnership aims at supporting the clean cooking sector through collaboration in capacity building through evidence generation, awareness creation and strengthening clean cooking engagement frameworks by mainstreaming clean cooking agenda into county policy and regulations structures.
The parties undertook to work together in evidence generation and dissertation on issues of clean cooking Energy in Kisumu County, Development and inclusion of clean cooking into policies, regulations, County strategic plans and support their implementation.
The collaboration is on clean cooking awareness creation, capacity building activities for clean cooking entrepreneurs and clean sector forums and events at the County level.
The Agreement follows the county government’s efforts in ensuring safe and clean cooking technology among its populace. According to Ag. County Director for Renewable Energy Technologies Mr. Laban Okeyo, the directorate has embarked on encouraging the residents to move away from unclean sources of fuel which contribute to 79.8% of energy in Kisumu County households of which Firewood tops at 49.6, charcoal 22.2% and Kerosene at 7.8%.
CCAK on its part agreed to provide material (clean cooking budget tracking and fiscal incentive briefs), communication material for joint events convened by V4CP and other parties, present and exhibit on events convened by Kisumu County and other partners on areas of clean cooking, jointly facilitate building and awareness creation on the clean cooking sector for the County officials and private sector.
On the other hand, the Energy and Industrialization Department agreed to convene a Clean Cooking policy and strategy for development stakeholders’ forum at the county, facilitate capacity building and awareness creation forums on clean cooking in the County including farmers field days and other related events, convene joint review meetings on the progress in addressing clean cooking agenda at the County level, coordinate evidence generation actions at the County in collaboration with V4CP and other stakeholders, facilitate private sector investment in clean cooking through a conducive policy and business environment.
The aim of the County Department is to attain a 100% transition from unclean sources of energy to clean and affordable cooking solutions to reduce pollution pressure on our environment.
The documents were signed by County Secretary Mr. Geoffrey Kigochi and Chief Officer Eng Daniel Okia for the department and CCAK CEO Mr. David Njugi and Victor Gathogo for SNV.
