MaurineTheuri
Member
Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) Director- General, Pavel Oimeke has resigned. Oimeke revealed that he submitted his resignation on February 16 to Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter.
“I Pavel Robert Oimeke, EBS would like to announce my resignation from the position of director-general at the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority,” he said.
Oimeke, who has served as Director-General for four years, has an ongoing court case over bribery allegations. According to the Ethics and anti-corruption Commission (EACC), Oimeke received a bribe of Ksh200,000 to approve the reopening of a fuel station in Oyugis, Homa Bay County, which the authority had closed.
Oimeke’s first term at the helm expired on August 1, 2020 but he secured another three-year term on July 27 the same year.
However, a petitioner, Emannuel Wanjala, moved to court to block his re-appointment, accusing him of nefarious practices including colluding with illegal LPG dealers, nepotism, tribalism and favouritism.
In her ruling, Justice Hellen Wasilwa dismissed Wanjala’s petition for lack of merit, demanding his immediate reinstatement.
“In the circumstances, I found that the application did not have merit and therefore I dismissed it and ordered that the status quo of the first respondent be reinstated immediately as the DG. I had stayed that position because I thought that he had not been appointed, but he has been appointed and rightly so. And therefore he is reinstated as the DG effective immediately,” ruled Justice Wasilwa.
The court also found that the evidence relied upon by the petitioner was obtained illegally, hence, could not be relied upon.
“I take this opportunity to wish the best of luck to the current acting Director-General Daniel Kiptoo, the board and staff as they continue to serve Kenyans, I am looking forward to serving Kenyans in other capacities,” Oimeke said in his resignation.
The Director-General has worked in different capacities at Finlays Kenya Ltd, Kenya Tea Development Agency.