In a high-stakes interview, EPRA boss Daniel Kiptoo reveals his battle plan to keep Kenya’s lights on and fuel flowing as the 2027 election fever begins to rise.

As the political temperature in Kenya begins its inevitable climb toward the 2027 general elections, one man sits on the hottest seat in the corporate sector. Daniel Kiptoo, the Director-General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), has declared a "zero-tolerance" mission to ensure stability and security of supply for both electricity and petroleum products. In a country where the cost and availability of energy can topple cabinets and ignite street protests, Kiptoo’s manifesto is not just technical—it is deeply political and existential.

The Anatomy of Stability

Speaking from his Nairobi office, Kiptoo laid out a strategy that prioritizes the consumer in an economy battering its way out of volatility. "My top priority in the year 2026 going into 2027 is stability and security of supply," Kiptoo asserted. His focus is twofold: ensuring that when a Kenyan flips a switch, the lights stay on, and when a motorist pulls into a station, there is fuel at the pump. This renewed focus comes after a tumultuous period defined by dollar shortages and supply chain fractures that nearly paralyzed the transport sector.

The Director-General’s roadmap includes:

• Grid Reliability: A massive overhaul of the transmission infrastructure to eliminate the "fluctuations" that have long plagued manufacturers and households.
• Petroleum Security: cementing the government-to-government oil deals that have eased the pressure on the shilling, ensuring a steady flow of imports.
• Regional Integration: Leveraging the Eastern Africa Power Pool to import cheaper hydroelectricity from Ethiopia and export geothermal surplus, creating a balanced and resilient regional market.

A Race Against Time

The urgency in Kiptoo’s tone betrays the high stakes. With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the energy sector is traditionally the first casualty of political maneuvering. A blackout during a presidential debate or a fuel shortage during campaign season is a nightmare scenario the state is desperate to avoid. Kiptoo is effectively positioning EPRA as the bulwark against such chaos, promising a "boring" energy sector where drama is replaced by predictability.

Observers note that this pivot towards "stability" is also a signal to investors. By guaranteeing security of supply, Kenya is trying to woo energy-intensive industries—data centers and manufacturing plants—that have previously shied away due to power instability. "We must ensure that we keep our lights on," Kiptoo emphasized, a simple mantra that carries the weight of the entire economy.

As the interview concluded, the message was clear: for Daniel Kiptoo, the next two years are not about ambitious expansion, but about holding the line. In the volatile world of Kenyan energy, stability is the ultimate revolution.