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Kenya plans to connect 70 pct consumers with electricity by 2017

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenya plans to connect over 70 percent of its nationals to get access to electricity by 2017, saying team work and unity among all stakeholders was key to the implementation of the agenda.

Deputy President William Ruto said the electricity producer, Kenya Power, is implementing a countrywide operation to upgrade the power network ahead of the expected additional generation capacity.

"I want to make it clear that the steady progress in the energy sector is not by default but by design by Kenya Power in ensuring government's agenda is implemented," Ruto said when he commissioned the Muthurwa Kenya Power Substation project in Nairobi.

The project aimed at stabilizing power supply to the city's Central Business District and its industrial customers.

He said the government has connected 1.1 million Kenyans in the last two years, noting that the government has rolled out a transformative agenda dubbed "last mile" to be launched to give impetus and momentum to ensure more Kenyans get access to power.

"This country had from 1922 to 2013 connected 2.5 million Kenyans, but when the Jubilee administration took over two years ago, it has connected 1.1 million Kenyans," he said.

"This demonstrates the government's commitment to ensuring a universal access to all Kenyans by 2020 if we work together and divert our energies on matters of development," Ruto said.

"The ongoing power project is all about making it easier to do business in Kenya, it's about creating opportunities and jobs for all Kenyans," said Ruto.

He said the government is committed to ensuring reduction of the cost of energy in the next two years by between 25-30 percent to stimulate the manufacturing and the industrial sectors.

He asked the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) to ensure 1 million people were connected into the country's grid.

"I ask the managers of KPLC to pull up their socks and tighten their belts to meet the target of ensuring 1 million Kenyans are connected before the end of this year," Ruto said.

He added that the government was in discussion with development partners to expand electrification in informal settlements with a view to ensuring that they paid 10 U.S. dollars as connection fee.

"We will work with all our development partners to ensure all residents in informal settlements get access to electricity and in cheaper rates like 10 dollars," Ruto said.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said Treasury was working closely with the ministry of Energy and Petroleum and KPLC in implementing the Government's agenda on access of electricity to 70 percent by 2017.

"The Treasury is working together with all the stakeholders in implementing the Government's agenda on Kenyans getting access to electricity by 70 percent before 2017," said Rotich. Endi