Ruto launches Lamu Sh616 million electricity project

President William Ruto when he flagged the Sh616 million project in Lamu County on May 22, 2026. [Courtesy, REREC]

President William Ruto has announced that 1,667 families in Lamu County will gain access to electricity by the end of this year, in a government program valued at Sh616 million shillings.

Ruto made the announcement while flagging off electrification materials belonging to the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) in Hindi, Lamu County.

The President who is on a four-day coastal region tour said that the initiative is part of a wider plan to connect 53,000 households across the region to the national grid.

He noted that reliable electricity is central to his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), as it will open opportunities for small businesses, improve learning environments, and strengthen healthcare services in rural areas.

Ruto was accompanied by Members of Parliament and Cabinet Secretaries from the Coast, among them Mining CS Ali Hassan Joho.

In his remarks, the Head of State criticized the opposition, accusing them of lacking a clear development agenda and instead focusing on ethnic divisions and tribal politics.

He urged leaders to prioritize projects that directly uplift citizens.

The electrification materials flagged off will be used in the Barghoni–Bodhei–Milimani project, which will connect 110 households.

REREC’s General Manager of Finance, Davies Cheruiyot, speaking on behalf of CEO Dr. Rose Mkalama, highlighted other ongoing projects in the county including the Hindi–Bargon–Mswakini line, set to benefit 300 households.

Others are the Shaka–Isakani Nursery School project, which will serve 33 customers and the Kiunga HESCO project, among several others designed to expand rural electrification.

The government’s investment in Lamu is part of Kenya’s broader energy strategy, which aims to achieve universal electricity access to all Kenyans by 2030.

Nationally, about 75% of households are connected to power, but marginalized regions such as Lamu still face significant gaps.

Expanding access is expected to reduce dependence on kerosene lamps and diesel generators, lower carbon emissions, and encourage adoption of renewable energy solutions.

His visit comes at a time when the region which has been predominantly leading towards the opposition is redefining its political direction following the decline of the Orange Democratic Movement party’s influence after the death of its leader Raila Odinga.

The President hopes that his focus on infrastructure and energy projects will strengthen his support in the Coast and demonstrate his administration’s commitment to inclusive development.

The tour which has seen him deliver goodies among them title deeds to the communities in the region is a charm offensive as he hopes to have the region back his 2027 re-election bid.

During his speech on Thursday, he said that his agreement to work with Odinga which led to the formation of the broad-based government, was the right choice, since it had brought the country together.