This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Published on July 10, 2020, the government's rural electrification drive, funded by the World Bank Group, was meant to be a success story. However, the Last Mile Connectivity Project has left many Kenyans without electricity.
Deputy President William Ruto boasted that electricity is now everywhere, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. Billions of shillings have been spent on the project, but electricity remains expensive, and many rural residents cannot afford it.
According to a report by the Daily Nation, Kenya Power and Lighting Company PLC was removing its cables and transformers from rural areas due to non-payment. A KPLC manager in the Eastern region explained that some residents did not need power in the first place, while others thought it was free and never bought tokens after the free units were exhausted.
The government's promise to connect every household has been marred by inefficiencies and lack of understanding among rural residents. The Sh416 monthly charge proved costly for many, and the government's data on poverty levels has been questioned.
Residents of Maregut village in Kabosgei Kerio location have expressed their disappointment at being left without electricity. They have asked their area MP, William Cheptumo, to intervene and arrange for them to get connected.
Francis Eli Eli, a resident of Maregut, said, 'It's only our location which has not been connected yet electric power is everywhere in Kerio valley... it's like we are not part of the citizens of this country.'
The government's big four agenda, which includes connecting every household to electricity, has failed to deliver in Maregot Location. Residents travel long distances to access electricity services, highlighting the need for a more efficient and effective rural electrification drive.
