Kiambu County commissioner Mr. Wilson Wanyanga has commended Kenya Power company for working round the clock to connect power to all learning institutions in the region.
While chairing the County Development Implementation Committee Meeting at his office last Thursday, the administrator said the service provider had gone out of their way to do their part and this would boost the laptop project initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013.
The Sh24.6 billion Digital Literacy Programme popularly known as the Schools’ laptop project was among the President’s pet project when he took the reins of power.
Kenya Power has completed the electrification of 461 primary schools in Kiambu County to the tune of Sh2.9 million that is owed to the company.
Primary school pupils in Kiambu County have all the reason to smile as their efforts to excel in their academics following the power connections to all schools except one have been boosted.
Only Munyaka Theta Primary school in Juja sub-county which is a fairly a new school is not connected but construction works by Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is ongoing and is targeted for completion in September 2019.
Speaking during the meeting, Kenya Power County Business Manager Engineer Kennedy Ogalo said power connections would go a long way towards enabling the pupils to learn using their laptops which have so far been distributed by the Government.
Eng. Ogalo told the CDICC that Kabete sub-county was the highest debtor with Sh556, 207 for 27 schools followed by Kikuyu with Sh388, 796 for 32 schools and Githunguri with Sh345, 273 from 53 schools.
Other schools owed Kenya Power as follows; Gatundu North Sh125, 239.82,Gatundu South Sh264, 249.72, Juja Sh51, 024,Kiambaa sub-county Sh241, 278.69, Kiambu Sh181, 842.01, Lari with Sh211, 513.92, Limuru Sh248, 974, Ruiru Sh228, 766.58, Thika East with Sh61, 852.00 and Thika West with Sh29, 185.70.
The County Executive Member for Roads, Transport, Public Works and Utilities Mr. Wilson Kangethe said floodlight masts installed in the FY2018/2019 were 165 while 2, 390 street lights had been installed in the same period at a cost Sh510 million.
Kangethe told the meeting that jobs during the said projects were reserved for women, people with disabilities and youth.
The projects have gone a long way in lighting the entire county therefore enabling people to work for more hours as they continued to eke a living for themselves and their families. The same translated to general development towards Vision 2030 as it has helped open up rural areas of Kiambu County.
The County Commissioner thanked the service providers who attended the meeting and presented to the committee their development projects.
He said the forum had helped steer the development agenda as well as eliminate duplication as perfection was instilled in their performance.
All efforts are geared to serving the public who should have a share of their national cake and the administrator impressed on the members to embrace the spirit of teamwork so as to help make any savings and provide the best for the people within the given resources.
The CDICC will next week visit three projects which include KURA roads in Thika, Ndula Magongoni Irrigation in Thika and Komo irrigation project in Juja sub-county.
By Lydia Shiroya
