Makueni gets Sh2.7 billion electricity boost

Makueni County is set for a major electricity expansion after the national government set aside Sh2.7 billion this financial year to accelerate rural electrification, with 23,682 households targeted for connection.

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Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira led a two-day tour of the county, launching and commissioning electrification projects in Kibwezi West, Kibwezi East and Kaiti constituencies as the government steps up efforts to take electricity to previously underserved communities.

The initial projects are expected to connect more than 700 households, while the wider Sh2.7 billion programme is targeting 23,682 households by the end of the financial year.

The electrification drive was launched at Kyaa Village, bringing together Aviation and Aerospace Development Principal Secretary Terry Mbaika, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, local leaders and officials from the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), led by General Manager Beatrice Njuguna.

Wachira said the latest investment was part of the Kenya Kwanza administration's broader commitment to expanding electricity access and improving livelihoods in rural communities.

He said 66,000 households had been connected to electricity over the past four years, describing the progress as evidence of the government's determination to expand infrastructure and improve living standards.

The current programme will reach residents in Kyaa, Ndonguni, Makasa, Yumbuni, Matangini and Kosovo villages, among other targeted areas.

And the impact will go beyond individual homes.

Schools, health facilities, churches and social halls are among the institutions lined up for electricity connections, with the government expecting the new infrastructure to support education, healthcare, small businesses and other economic activities.

But the development tour was not without political heat.

Wachira turned his attention to opposition-aligned leaders, accusing some of failing to aggressively lobby for development projects in their constituencies.

His sharpest criticism was directed at Kaiti MP Joshua Kivinda Kimilu, whom the PS accused of failing to participate in efforts to secure rural electrification projects for his constituency.

Wachira said Makueni leaders had previously travelled to lobby for electricity projects but that Kimilu did not attend the engagement. He also pointed to the MP's absence during the commissioning ceremony.

The PS challenged the MP not to later use the government projects as a campaign tool in his bid for re-election.

The remarks inject a political dimension into an otherwise development-focused programme in a county where opposition parties have traditionally enjoyed strong support.

Parliament lists Kimilu as the sitting MP for Kaiti and a member of the Wiper Democratic Movement. (parliament.go.ke)

Despite the political exchanges, the government says the focus remains on delivering tangible benefits to residents.

The Sh2.7 billion investment and 23,682-household target represent a significant push to close the electricity access gap in Makueni, with the government betting that reliable power will unlock new economic opportunities in rural communities.

For residents of the targeted villages, the prize is more than electric bulbs.

It is longer business hours, better-equipped schools and health facilities, improved communication and new opportunities for families and enterprises that have for years operated without reliable electricity.

As the projects roll out, the government is positioning the electrification programme as another major development gain for Makueni — even as the political battle over who deserves credit for the county's development continues.