The government is set to connect 7,377 households with electricity across Embu County at a cost of Sh805 million.
Close to half of the allocation will be channelled to Mbeere North Constituency, which has historically been marginalized in electricity connectivity, with residents lamenting the lack of power, despite living next to the Seven Forks Dams, which are a major source of Kenya’s hydropower.
State Department for Energy Principal Secretary (PS) Alex Wachira said the problem was being addressed through the Government’s Last Mile Connectivity Programme, where they project to connect 2,450 households in the coming months.
Speaking while flagging off electricity materials, including poles, cables, transformers and conductors, on Monday at Siakago Market, Wachira said they are set to commence with seven project areas, including Mathai, Mianjatiri and Kathuthiri.
“We have allocated Mbeere North Sh336 million this financial year to ensure we progressively move towards our target of universal access to electricity for everybody, not only here but countrywide,” he said.
The PS said the government was on course in terms of achievement of the last-mile electricity connectivity projects across the country to ensure all Kenyans have access to a reliable and uninterrupted power supply.
“We have the funding and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) are fast-tracking the procurement of materials,” he reported.
Wachira continued, “Many parts of the country will be a beehive of activities in the coming months in terms of electricity connection, since this program is part of the Kenya Kwanza Government Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) on universal access to electricity.”
On his part, Mbeere North MP Leonard Muthende said the arrival of the materials had served to put to rest the politics that were being peddled that the government had lied to residents about the programme during the campaign period for the parliamentary by-election held last year.
“This is proof that the government has started fulfilling what it promised and this is just the beginning of many more projects that will be taking place here,” he said, while pleading with residents to continue supporting the government of the day.
He added that they had been promised an additional Sh600 million by the government to connect another 4,000 households and public facilities, including hospitals and schools, which will ensure the area is adequately covered.
By Samuel Waititu
