Who are the new EPRA and KETRACO chiefs appointed by CS Wandayi?

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has appointed new chief executives to two of Kenya's key energy institutions, bringing a finance professional with a decade-long KETRACO career to the transmission company and an experienced petroleum regulator to the country's energy watchdog.

CPA Tom Odhiambo Imbo has been appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), while Eng. Edward Mwirigi Kinyua, OGW, takes over as Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

The appointments, announced by Wandayi in a statement dated September 30, 2026, also include Stephen Kipsang Busieney as Managing Director and CEO of the Geothermal Development Company (GDC).

The Ministry said the appointments took effect immediately and followed recruitment processes conducted by the respective boards of directors.

“The appointments, which are to take effect immediately, are a culmination of rigorous recruitment processes undertaken in accordance with the applicable laws and relevant Human Resource guidelines,” Wandayi said.

Imbo is a finance management professional with more than 19 years of experience spanning the private and public sectors.

Before his appointment as KETRACO's chief executive, he had spent about 10 years at the electricity transmission company, working in its Finance and Strategy functions.

KETRACO's official profile identifies him as a former Acting General Manager, Finance, a position in which he was responsible for the company's financial management functions before his elevation to the top executive position. (Ketraco)

Before joining KETRACO, Imbo worked at the United States International University (USIU) as Head of Management Accounts.

His academic background is in finance and economics. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Education in Economics, both from Kenyatta University.

He is also a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK). (Ketraco)

KETRACO's mandate includes developing and operating the country's high-voltage electricity transmission network.

The company has also been involved in major transmission infrastructure projects and partnerships aimed at expanding and strengthening the national grid.

Eng. Edward Mwirigi Kinyua on his part comes to the EPRA leadership with extensive experience in petroleum regulation and engineering.

Kinyua previously served as Director of Petroleum and Gas at EPRA, where he was responsible for developing and implementing strategies for the regulation of Kenya's petroleum subsector.

EPRA's official profile says he has more than 14 years of experience in the petroleum sector.

He joined the energy regulatory system after working in the private sector, including at Total Kenya, where he served in petroleum-related roles.

His career also includes service at the former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) before the establishment of EPRA under the Energy Act, 2019.

Kinyua holds a Master of Science in Energy Management from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical and Production Engineering from Moi University.

He is a registered professional engineer with the Engineers Board of Kenya and a corporate member of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya.

EPRA's mandate covers areas including petroleum importation, refining, transportation, storage and sale, as well as electricity regulation and tariffs.

It also regulates a wide section of Kenya's energy industry, including electricity, renewable energy, petroleum and coal.

The authority is responsible for economic and technical regulation, including electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply, as well as petroleum importation, refining, transportation, storage and sale.

EPRA also sets, reviews and approves electricity and petroleum tariffs.

Among the issues under the regulator's broader mandate are consumer and investor interests, energy efficiency, petroleum safety and regulation across the energy value chain.

The EPRA Director General position was declared vacant following the resignation of former DG Daniel Kiptoo in April 2026 after he was arrested and detained over a multibillion scandal involving the irregular importation of substandard emergency fuel and manipulation of fuel stock data.

The appointments of Imbo and Kinyua come alongside Busieney's appointment at GDC.

The Ministry said the recruitment processes were conducted by the respective boards under the applicable legal and human resource frameworks.