Engineer Edward Mwirigi Kinyua’s appointment as Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) marks the elevation of an operational insider with more than 14 years’ specialised experience in the energy sector. 

His professional journey began in the private sector, with hands-on technical roles. He spent roughly six months as a Workshop Supervisor at Friendly Autoworks from October 2005 to March 2006, followed by nearly two years as a Quality Assurance Trainee Engineer at Mabati Rolling Mills from April 2006 to November 2007. He then moved into downstream oil and gas at Total Kenya Limited, where he spent three years supervising LPG plant operations and lubricants management. 

In 2010, Eng. Kinyua entered the public regulatory sphere, spending more than a decade at the Energy Regulatory Commission (later EPRA) as a Technical Lead before becoming Director of Petroleum and Gas, a senior executive role he held until his appointment as Director General on September 30, 2026. 

This combined private-sector and regulatory background positions Eng. Kinyua to navigate EPRA’s most complex strategic challenges. His three years managing LPG plants and supply chains at Total Kenya provide him with firsthand insight into private oil marketing companies’ cost drivers and logistics, helping prevent regulatory capture while keeping price caps commercially realistic. 

Having previously served as Director of Petroleum and Gas, he has immediate mastery of the monthly pump-pricing formula, import landing costs, and fuel stabilisation mechanics, eliminating any transition period during global market fluctuations. 

Eng. Kinyua’s academic foundation comprises a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from Moi University, a Master of Science in Energy Management from the University of Nairobi, and CPA Part 1 training. His status as a Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineers Board of Kenya, together with his academic background, equips him to oversee electricity tariff structures, negotiate power purchase agreements, and effectively drive the integration of Kenya’s clean energy grid.