The government is targeting 100 percent electrification for its citizens by 2030 through the Last Mile connectivity project.
Energy PS Alex Wachira says under the program being funded by the national government and partners like the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), European Investment Bank and the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA), every Kenyan will be connected to the national grid by latest by 2030.
“Almost 75% of Kenyans are now connected to electricity, with majority of the remaining 25% residing in rural areas,” he said.
The PS was speaking in Mwea Sub County when he accompanied his Crop Production counterpart Kello Harsama for an agricultural Expo, considering that electricity plays a major role in the farming value chain, especially the process of value addition on agricultural produce.
Responding to effects of climate change, Wachira said the government is encouraging Kenyans to adopt clean cooking, adding that amid plans to increase forests and the country’s tree cover, cutting of trees for firewood would reduce gains already made, hence the need to use alternative sources, which are clean and environmentally friendly.
Wachira said they are rolling out demos to farmers and institutions with large stock of cows on production and use of biogas as a source of energy.
“We are encouraging farmers and institutions with large number of cows to produce biogas as their source of energy, we are availing demos to them on how it works,” he said.
Biogas is clean renewable energy produced by decomposing organic waste.
On the recent power outage that engulfed several parts of the country, the PS said they had identified the cause of the problem and the government has since instituted remedial measures to prevent a recurrence of the same.
By Mutai Kipngetich
