Residents of Kakuzi-Mitubiri ward in lower Gatanga constituency, Murang’a County, have a reason to smile as more than 2,500 households in one of the regions most marginalized and semi-arid areas, were officially connected to electricity.
The milestone came with the launch of the Matunda Electrification Project presided over by Energy Principal Secretary (PS) Alex Wachira, who assured residents that the government was committed to achieving universal access to electricity and uplifting communities that had long been left behind.
“Today is a testament that we are leaving no region behind in last mile connectivity,” he said.
In Gatanga alone, we have allocated Sh231 million for 38 electrification projects and today we have launched all the 18 projects being implemented by REREC. The rest will be executed by EFBC and KPLC, and by December 2025, all the targeted households will be connected,” said Wachira.
The PS noted that a further Sh880 million had been allocated to connect more than 10,151 households to electricity in Murang’a County.
“This is not just about power in homes. It is about poverty eradication, spurring growth, and creating opportunities because with electricity, residents can run businesses, power boreholes and even contribute to reducing carbon emissions from diesel and kerosene,” he said.
Wachira also acknowledged previous challenges surrounding the provision of meters, assuring residents that every home connected to the grid would receive a meter without delay.
Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina welcomed the project, saying it would greatly benefit women and families who had long been disadvantaged.
“Electricity means empowerment for a society. Women will now be able to open salons, baking businesses and other small enterprises that improve their incomes,” she said.
“Genuine leadership is about solving the people’s problems. In this regard, we sincerely thank the Kenya Kwanza administration for the continued support towards the electrification of our once marginalized homes,” Betty said.
Maragua MP Mary Wamaua echoed the sentiments, stressing that electricity is a foundation for development.
“There is no development without electricity. But with power, a lot can be achieved from creating jobs to reducing pollution from diesel generators that we have seen here. Today is the beginning of real transformation for Gatanga,” she said.
For residents, the launch was more than a ribbon-cutting event as it was the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream.
Joseph Kimani, a farmer, described how electricity would change his life and transform his family’s standards as budding agripreneurs in the area.
“I have fish, cows, goats and also grow mangoes and oranges, using a borehole which was previously powered by diesel.
Now with electricity, I will save a lot of money and I plan to use power for a chaff cutter to mill fodder and bones, as well as maize cobs for my animals and for other farmers.
With electricity and water, this place will continue developing, notably even the price of land has gone up compared to a few years ago. The economic outlook of this area will change,” he said.
Kimani added that electricity would also open opportunities for maize milling and other small industries
Another beneficiary, Prisca Njeri, said the project was life-changing for families, especially mothers and children.
“We are happy because even during sickness, when we had bedridden people in the house, we relied on kerosene lamps. Now we have electricity. Our children will be able to study properly without being affected by smoke from lamps,” she said.
Security will also improve because the place is well lit. In the past, darkness brought many cases of muggings,” said Njeri, noting that this time round, the connections had reached more households than in previous projects.
“This time most households have benefited, unlike before when only a few were connected. We will now be able to rear chicken, grow more crops, and open salons and barber shops for empowerment,” she said.
Meanwhile, as the cables were switched on and bulbs lit up in Kakuzi-Mitubiri, Friday evening, a sense of joy and optimism surged through the community.
For a region once left behind, the electrification project marked not just access to power, but a promise of a more fulfilling brighter future.
By Florence Kinyua
