For years, many rural communities in Kenya went dark once the sun set, relying on kerosene lamps or firewood for light.
That reality is steadily changing as the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) undertakes major projects to bridge the energy gap between urban and rural areas.
Recently, the Corporation has rolled out key projects under the Last Mile Connectivity Programme to connect more Kenyans to the national grid, as the country works towards achieving 100 per cent electricity access by 2030.
The transformative power of electricity is perhaps best illustrated in Laikipia North’s Kandutura Village, where a Ksh22.8 million project linked at least 278 households to the grid.
At Kandutura Shopping Centre, Super Marti Barbershop now operates with electric clippers, serving more customers and staying open for longer hours.
In Kwale County, the electrification of Fuzo/Mkokoni and Majikuko villages is set to connect hundreds of households, enabling families to extend their working hours, preserve food, and allow children to study at night.
“With the ongoing electrification programme, we will move away from that label of “The Dark Continent of the World.” We will progress and be seen in the same light as countries that have already developed,” said Seth Kamanza, Speaker of the Kwale County Assembly, on the sidelines of the ongoing Devolution Conference in Homa Bay.
In Machakos, the Lukenya Extension and Katani Pearl Drive project, once complete, will inject new life into the local economy.
Kitui County is recording similar gains, with villages such as Itinda, Kaliwa, and Kwa Musila in Mwingi North Constituency set to be linked to the grid.
The projects are expected to connect 226 beneficiaries, including public facilities such as a vocational institution, a dispensary, and the chief’s office.
“The County Government of Kitui is working with REREC to connect homes to electricity under a matching grant program. This means more light for our homes, more opportunities for our youth, and more growth for our economy,” said Kitui County Agriculture CEC Stephen Mbaya during the ongoing Devolution Conference in Homa Bay.
Rural markets and public facilities have seen some of the most visible changes. For instance, the Kirundi Market Electrification Project in Tharaka Nithi will connect 408 households, schools, the chief’s office, and community boreholes to electricity.
Further, in Kericho County REREC projects have connected over 400 households in Kipkelion East, Ainamoi, and Soin Sigowet, giving communities the means to diversify income and improve living standards.
Farmers can now power irrigation pumps, clinics can store vaccines, and students can embrace digital learning.
