The Kenyan government is pushing forward with an ambitious goal to connect at least 10 million customers to the national electricity grid by 2025. This plan, revealed by Energy Principal Secretary (PS) Alex Wachira, aims to bring electricity to more homes and boost the country’s development as part of the broader agenda to achieve 100 percent electricity connectivity by 2030.
As of now, about 9.7 million Kenyans have access to electricity, with the Ministry of Energy working tirelessly to connect an additional 25,000 customers by next year. Wachira emphasized that this growth in connectivity is critical to the government’s plans to empower citizens and foster economic growth, especially in rural areas.
“We are at 9.7 million customers connected to electricity, and by next year, we hope to surpass the 10 million mark,” said Wachira during a recent visit to Gikamba sub-location in Nyeri County. His visit was part of the ongoing implementation of the Last Mile Connectivity Program, which is being overseen by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC). This program, aimed at bringing electricity to underserved and remote areas, has already connected hundreds of thousands of homes in the past two years.
The commissioning of new connections in Gikamba brought electricity to 314 households, many of which had been without power for over five decades. This milestone, according to the PS, is a perfect Christmas gift for the residents, who now have access to electricity for the first time in their lives. The project is set to serve over 300 households and will involve the installation of five transformers to ensure reliable power supply in the region.
Wachira highlighted the significance of this achievement as a critical part of Kenya’s vision for economic transformation. “Electricity is an enabler. With this new access, residents can now set up small businesses such as posho mills, welding businesses, and barber shops, which contribute to the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” he explained. The availability of electricity is seen as a stepping stone for local economic development, particularly in rural communities, by opening doors to new income-generating opportunities.
Through the Last Mile Connectivity Program, REREC has connected approximately 800,000 Kenyans to the grid in the last two years alone, underscoring the program’s success in improving access to electricity. However, Wachira emphasized that there are still challenges to be addressed, particularly in areas like Kieni and Mukurweini constituencies in Nyeri County, which are lagging behind in terms of connectivity. The government has allocated Sh479 million for electricity projects in the county, with the goal of ensuring that all six constituencies in Nyeri are fully electrified.
The government’s drive to expand electricity access also aligns with the objectives of Kenya’s Medium Term Plan IV (MTP IV), which focuses on improving infrastructure and providing essential services to citizens. The plan is a key deliverable for the Kenya Kwanza administration, and access to electricity is seen as a critical enabler for the country’s economic transformation.
Residents of Gikamba are already feeling the impact of their new access to electricity. Kenfred Mwenda, a local resident, expressed his excitement about the opportunities that electricity will bring. “Our laptops have been gathering dust because we only use them in university due to lack of electricity. But now we will make use of them to start small businesses like cyber cafes and movie shops,” he said.
Similarly, James Ndereba, another Gikamba resident, noted that the connectivity would also revolutionize local farming practices. “Dairy farmers who used to manually chop napier grass will now be able to mechanize their farming by acquiring chaff cutters. This will increase production and profits,” he said.
As the government continues to expand electricity access across the country, these success stories from Gikamba and other rural areas demonstrate the transformative power of reliable energy. By 2025, Kenya is poised to achieve significant progress toward its goal of universal electricity access, paving the way for greater economic growth and improved quality of life for its citizens.
