This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Published on July 10, 2019, Kenya's State House has sparked controversy by advertising a tender for the supply of charcoal, a move seen as ironic given the country's focus on advancing clean energy for cooking.
The open tender, which also involves the supply of liquefied petroleum gas, was advertised in Tuesday's dailies, providing a glimpse into the President's kitchen where charcoal is used.
State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena referred the Nation to State House Comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua for comments on the tender, but efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.
The charcoal supplier to State House must download prequalification documents from its website and register for the documents categories at the office of the head of supply chain management during office hours, according to the tender notice.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko extended the existing ban on logging for another year in November 2018, as the country struggles to attain at least a 10 percent forest cover by 2022.
The Presidential Delivery Unit had been given a Ksh18 billion ($175.1 million) restoration proposal for forest rehabilitation, with a view to improving the country's forest cover, which is currently estimated at about 7.4 percent.
