The government has stepped up efforts to expand electricity connectivity in Meru County, with Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira flagging off the Last Mile Connectivity Project in Igembe Central Constituency.
The exercise, held at Mwerongai Primary School on Monday brought together PS Wachira, PS for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi, Igembe Central Deputy County Commissioner Mercy Wamalwa, area MP Dan Kiili, Njia Ward MCA Mwenda Ali and Kenya Power and Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) officials.
Speaking during the event, Kiili said Igembe Central remained among the least electrified areas in Meru County, expressing optimism that the latest government intervention would help bridge the connectivity gap.
He appealed to the Ministry of Energy to address complaints from residents of Mbayo who had reportedly been disconnected in a crackdown by Kenya Power and Lightening company (KPLC) despite having paid for electricity connections.
The disconnection was to eliminate illegal connections, which the MP disputed.
The MP said residents lacked the technical expertise to install electricity cables and urged Kenya Power to intervene and restore their connections.
He also called for the inclusion of Kalankware in the electrification programme.
He appealed to voters to re-elect him for a second term, saying he hoped to serve as a chairperson of parliamentary committees, which he believes would strengthen his ability to champion development projects, including electricity connectivity.
On agriculture, Kiili encouraged farmers to diversify their income sources by intercropping cocoa and avocado trees with miraa, saying the crops had significant economic potential.
PS Mugambi said the government was committed to ensuring equitable development across the country, noting that only about 30 per cent of Kenyans had access to electricity at independence.
He said the government’s affirmative action agenda was intended to ensure that underserved communities also benefited from essential infrastructure and development programmes.
Mugambi said the government was also undertaking major road infrastructure projects, including the tarmacking of 480 kilometres of roads, while encouraging Meru farmers to embrace avocado and cocoa farming.
He announced plans to distribute avocado seedlings to farmers the following week, adding that cocoa seedlings would also be introduced to support agricultural diversification.
Njia Ward MCA Mwenda Ali thanked the MP and the national government for the ongoing development projects, noting that leaders elected under the Jubilee Party had since joined the government of the day.
The event was attended by Igembe Central Deputy County Commissioner Mercy Wamalwa and officials from the Energy Ministry and REREC.
The electrification exercise is part of wider government efforts to extend power connectivity to underserved communities and support rural economic development.
By Kamanja Maeria and Brenda Gakii
