Several villages across Kenya have gained access to electricity after new connections were installed under the government’s Last Mile Connectivity programme, bringing power to homes, businesses and community facilities that had remained off the national grid for years.
Among the beneficiaries is Baregeiywet village in Kericho County, where residents say electricity has transformed daily life after decades without reliable grid power.
New electricity poles and lines now stretch across the village, connecting homes and businesses.
Joseph Ruto, a resident, said families previously depended on traditional lamps for lighting.
“We did not have electricity, so we relied on very old lamps for lighting. We have spent many years without electricity. We are grateful to finally have electricity,” he said.
Electricity opens new opportunities
The connection has so far reached 61 of the 82 homes in Baregeiywet and extended to a nearby shopping centre.
For local businesses, access to electricity has also meant longer operating hours.
Richard Rono, a shopkeeper, said the availability of power had allowed him to keep his business open late into the night.
“Previously, we used to close early, but now I have extended my working hours until midnight,” he said.
Residents in other parts of the country are reporting similar changes.
In Masendeni village in Kwale County, electricity has reduced reliance on alternative sources of power for household and commercial activities.
Resident Ali Mahendo said solar power had presented difficulties during prolonged rainy periods because of reduced sunlight.
“With solar power, you have to wait for the sun. During rainy weather, it becomes a major challenge,” he said.
Nandi County has also recorded new connections, with electricity infrastructure extending into previously underserved villages.
Power connections boost local businesses
The programme is being implemented by Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC).
It was launched in 2015 and has expanded electricity access across all 47 counties.
Under the programme, households located within 600 metres of an existing transformer can be connected to the national grid at a subsidised cost of KSh15,000, according to the report.
REREC CEO Rose Mkalama said improved electricity access was creating opportunities for young people to establish small businesses.
“Our young men are opening businesses like welding. We have seen these projects bringing money into the pockets of our citizens,” Mkalama said.
She added that the impact of electrification extended beyond household lighting to economic activity and community development.
Government targets more households
The latest connections come days after President William Ruto launched Last Mile Connectivity projects in Bomet and Migori counties.
The government has also announced plans to connect an additional 21,000 households to electricity in Siaya County at a cost of KSh2.8 billion.
The wider Last Mile programme is intended to extend electricity access to households located close to existing power infrastructure while supporting economic activities in rural and underserved areas.
For communities that have lived for years without grid electricity, the new connections are already changing when businesses can operate, how households access lighting and how residents use electricity for productive activities.
The expansion also reflects the broader push to extend Kenya’s electricity network beyond urban centres and connect more households to the national grid.
