Kieni: The government plans to invest Sh 36 billion in connecting Kenyan households to electricity through the Last-Mile Connectivity Project, Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki announced. Out of this budget, Sh 8.6 billion will be allocated to connect 115,000 households in nine counties in the Mount Kenya region.
According to Kenya News Agency, Prof. Kindiki, while on a development tour in Kieni, Nyeri County, indicated that the government is seeking additional funds to ensure nationwide connectivity to the National Grid. He emphasized that the government has increased the number of Kenyans with access to electricity from 2.7 million in 2013 to the current 9 million, with plans to connect 1 million more within 20 months.
Prof. Kindiki, accompanied by Principal Secretaries Alex Wachira, Eng. Joseph Mbugua, Ann Wang’ombe, and several elected leaders, expressed the government’s commitment to accelerating infrastructure development, fostering economic growth, and improving livelihoods. He stated that the stable economy would soon benefit Kenyans, highlighting plans for road expansion, water and electricity connectivity, and youth employment over the next three years.
During the tour, Prof. Kindiki commissioned a Sh 733 million Last-Mile Connectivity Project in Kieni Constituency, targeting 10,903 beneficiaries. The project will be executed by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation. Additionally, he launched a Sh 164 million project to provide electricity to 1,163 beneficiaries.