Longarkau: Residents of Longarkau village in Suam ward, Kacheliba subcounty, West Pokot county, who have been living in darkness, have a reason to smile after the village was finally lit up through the government's Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project, valued at Sh17.8 million, will benefit 128 households and was officially commissioned by Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki. He was accompanied by County Commissioner Abdulahi Khalif and Governor Simon Kachapin among other local leaders, marking a major step towards improving access to power in the region.
The Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project is funded by the government of Kenya and is being implemented by The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), a state corporation under the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. Its mandate is to accelerate the electrification of rural areas through grid extension and off-grid solutions in areas far away from the grid.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Deputy President reaffirmed the government's commitment to lighting up rural Kenya and empowering communities through expanded access to electricity. Prof. Kindiki added that connectivity levels, which previously stood at 30 percent in 2022, have risen sharply to 35 percent in the year 2025, with the government targeting 70 percent by 2030.
'The president has the goodwill to continue allocating funds to implement the last-mile connectivity projects and major electrification programmes for social and economic benefits to regions which previously weren't powered,' he said.
Eng. Jonah Kosgei, REREC Regional Manager for the North Rift Region, noted that the programme covers six counties under the region including West Pokot, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Turkana. 'We have an active presence in every county. REREC has a pool of experts deployed nationwide to supervise project implementation, uphold construction standards, and ensure timely completion and delivery of projects as our mandate requires for social transformation of Kenyans at large,' pointed out Kosgei.
The ongoing electrification projects across West Pokot through REREC in partnership with the Kenya Power company are valued at approximately Sh2.16 billion, targeting over 10,200 additional new customers. The Deputy President emphasised the importance of ensuring every village is connected to electricity to promote social and economic transformation within communities. He urged the people of West Pokot to preach and practise peaceful coexistence, noting that unity and peace would attract more national development projects.