Rural population lack electricity

By John Oyuke

Kenya is embarrassingly behind in electricity access, with 90 per cent of the rural population remaining in the dark.

The newly established Rural Electrification Authority (REA) said on Tuesday only 10 per cent of rural population is connected to grid electricity despite the rural electrification programmes starting in 1973.

"Despite the Programme having been in place for more than 30 years, only about 10 per cent of the rural population in Kenya are connected to electricity while access is about 63 percent," said the authority CEO Zachary Ayieko.

Ayieko said for Vision 2030 to be achieved, all Kenyans should have access to power to run their daily lives.

"The aspiration of Vision of providing a high quality life to all citizens dictates that every citizen must have electricity," he said. Ayieko spoke ahead of the launch of the Rural Electrification Authority by Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi on Wednesday.

The authority will be mandated to light up rural areas.

It is estimated that bout 80 per cent of the Kenyan population, including three out of four poor people, live in rural areas.

Ministry of Energy statistics show that, over 60 per cent of essential institutions like public secondary schools and health centres have no electricity.

The statistics paint a dark picture for the rural areas, which for long have been marginalised in critical areas like electricity, roads and clean water.

However, Ayieko said with the launch of the authority, the rural folk will now benefit from power which will spur development in the areas.