This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
Kenya has made significant strides in power connections, increasing from 2.8 million consumers in 2014 to over 6.8 million users on the grid. However, one in four Kenyans, mostly in rural areas, still lacks access to electricity.
On July 23, 2019, a High Court judge, Weldon, allowed the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) to release transmission poles from Makuyu, Mariakani, and Awasi in Kisumu, following a court order that lifted a blockade on the release of power poles.
The Rural Electrification agency had secured the court order, which vacated previous directives that had blocked the release of good poles, stalling connections to the national electricity grid.
According to REREC, between May 8 and July 16, all 51,238 substandard poles were returned to suppliers for treatment, and the agency had hired third-party contractors to connect homes and businesses to the grid.
However, the July 16 court order had blocked the release of good poles, stalling connections and causing hardship and irreparable loss to taxpayers.
On July 16, Tropical Timber Trading Company received a court order overturning a High Court judge's directive issued on June 4 that allowed REREC to return substandard poles to suppliers for retreatment.
On June 4, the High Court set aside its orders, effectively allowing REREC to return the poles, but the petitioner got fresh directives on July 16 reinstating the freeze order.
