Two hundred and eighty thousand Kenyan households from 32 counties will have direct access to reliable electricity after President William Ruto signed the Last Mile electricity connectivity programme worth Ksh27 billion.
The Last Mile electricity connectivity Programme funds have been provided by the European Union, French Development Agency and European Investment Bank.
Ruto said the signing is an immense milestone on Kenya’s journey towards achieving universal access to electricity in order to align with the infrastructural development and broader aspirations for a brighter, a more prosperous future for the great Kenyans.
“We have moved from 2.3 million people connected in 2013 to 9.6 million people connected in 2024. As a consequence, we have achieved steady and impressive progress over the past decade and witnessed significant change in our journey towards universal electrification raising the national access from 27 percent in 2013 to the current 76 percent,” Ruto said.
By extending electricity grid to rural areas and an underserved, the Last Mile Connectivity Project is not only effectively bridging the development gap between the urban and rural communities, but it has also raised the overall rate national productivity across sectors by facilitating the uptake of efficient technologies.
The President said the power lines erected under this programme will also transmit fibre optic cables, ensuring universal Internet access.
“We are moving government services to the digital space, and ICT hubs are coming up across the country and moving our business to e-commerce, our learning to e-learning and health to e-health. Therefore, the Internet is as important as electricity,” he said.
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The European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger said the implementation will strongly support Kenya’s goal to reach by 2030 universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
“The Programme will give 1.5 million Kenyans direct access to reliable electricity. The European Union is supporting this connectivity programme with a major grant of Ksh 4.3 billion that will help reduce the investment costs and make the project sustainable,” she said.
Ruto Said the Project will Benefit 32 Counties
The project will have a total of 26 contract slots across the country with three financing partners the France Development Agency, the European Union and the European Investment Bank.
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The Counties to benefit from this programme include West Pokot, Nyamira, Bomet, Kericho, Homabay, Bungoma County, Kitui, Embu and Kirinyaga.
Other counties include Narok, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru, Kilifi, Kwale, Tharaka Nithi, Kajiado Makueni, Nyeri and Migori County.
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