KETRACO Explains Why Public Disclosure Does Not Mean a Project Has Been Approved Amid Private Interests

The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has moved to clarify the Public Disclosure process for major infrastructure projects, saying the publication of a proposal should not be interpreted as government approval or the award of a contract.

Through a public awareness campaign, the State-owned transmission company explained that Public Disclosure is an early statutory step in the evaluation of Privately Initiated Proposals (PIPs).

The requirement was introduced under the National Treasury Circular issued on July 25, 2025, to enhance transparency, encourage competition and strengthen accountability in public-private partnership projects.

According to KETRACO, once a privately initiated proposal reaches the Public Disclosure stage, it is made available to the public and the market, giving other interested private investors a 21-day window to submit competing proposals. This ensures that infrastructure projects are not awarded without first allowing competition from other qualified developers.

After the competition period closes, proposals undergo detailed technical, financial and legal due diligence before they are evaluated against the government's requirements. Only proposals that satisfy all evaluation criteria can proceed to the next stage of the approval process.

The company emphasized that Public Disclosure should not be mistaken for project approval, noting that no contract is awarded simply because a proposal has been published.

Instead, disclosure is designed to ensure that infrastructure projects are subjected to an open, competitive and transparent procurement process before any investment decisions are made.

As part of the campaign, KETRACO also identified four transmission projects that are currently at the Public Disclosure stage under the PIP framework. They include the proposed Mutomo 220/132/33kV Substation, the Voi 400/132/33kV Substation together with the 110-kilometre Voi-Taveta 132kV transmission line, the 150-kilometre Rumuruti-Maralal 132kV transmission line and the 132kV Sotik-Kilgoris transmission line.

The projects have indicative implementation timelines ranging from the 2027/28 to the 2030/31 financial years. However, KETRACO reiterated that all four proposals remain under Public Disclosure and have not been approved, with no contracts awarded.

The clarification comes as Kenya increasingly uses Privately Initiated Proposals to accelerate investment in strategic infrastructure.

The framework allows private investors to originate projects but requires them to undergo a structured competitive process before government approval, helping balance private sector innovation with public accountability and value for money.