The proprietor of the Embakasi gas filling plant, where a fatal explosion occurred on Thursday night, causing three deaths and injuring over 280 people, has made a statement through his lawyer, Wandungi Karathe.
Derick Kimathi, the owner, clarified that the facility was not operating as a refilling station but as a motor garage. According to Karathe, the truck responsible for the explosion had trespassed onto the premises without Kimathi’s knowledge or consent.
Despite applying for a gas-filling plant license in 2023, which was rejected, Kimathi did not initiate the business. The lawyer stressed that Kimathi is not evading authorities and has been cooperating with the police during the ongoing investigations.
President William Ruto has ordered administrative action against several government operatives in the energy sector in connection to the Embakasi explosion. Ruto, speaking in Kakamega, suggested that laxity among officials responsible for operational licenses contributed to the tragic incident.
He instructed the Ministry to take immediate action, calling for the firing, arrest, and detention of those responsible for issuing the license for the plant to operate in an unauthorized location.
In response to the explosion, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has suspended four officials. The suspended individuals include the Director of Environmental Compliance, Acting Deputy Director Compliance, Head of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) section, and Senior Environmental Officer in the EIA section.
