Rerec and Makueni County to raise Sh60 million for electrification

Rerec CEO Rose Mkalama shakes hands with Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr after signing an MoU on collaboration framework. [Daniel Kariuki, Standard]

The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) is set to collaborate with the Makueni County government to raise Sh60 million for rural electrification.

The project is targeting 624 households with electricity in the county under the Matching Fund Programme.

Under the partnership, Makueni has committed to give Sh30 million during the financial year 2023/24, while Rerec will match the funds to a maximum of Sh5 million for each of the six constituencies in the county.

"We have called on rerun to expand our partnership, the earlier agreement had put us at a limit on funds we were supposed to use," said Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior.

In the last seven years, the corporation has collaborated with Counties and National Constituency Development Fund (NCDF) under the Matching Fund Programme and implemented 130 projects for Sh932 million across the country.

"The Corporation continues to implement projects countrywide aiming to enhance rural electrification in Kenya, improving the livelihoods of our people and contributing to the nation's overall development," Rerec CEO Dr Rose Mkalama said.

This is Rerec's second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Makueni, the other one was signed in 2021.

"These efforts align with the national economic development blueprint, Vision 2030, and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) championed by His Excellency President. Dr. William Ruto," added Dr Mkalama.

Rerec also commissioned the Kako/Waia Warehouse CBO project which targets 50 households.

Among the projects that it will embark on are electrifying the Makuu village water dam, Mulooni Primary School, Muusni - Akwash area and Kwa Syotisi.

So far projects worth Sh183 million in Kaiti, Kibwezi West, Kibwezi East, Kilome, Makueni, and Mbooni Constituencies have been implemented.

Of these, 13 projects are complete while 24 are currently underway in the six constituencies with anticipated completion by July 2024.

"The Corporation encourages County Governments and Members of Parliament to adopt Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation the Matching Fund approach to expedite the implementation of electrification programs in their respective areas," said Mkalama.

The Shilling for a Shilling program (Matching Fund) enables County Governments or Members of Parliament to allocate a specific amount from their development funds, with Rerec committing an equal amount for rural electrification in the designated region identified by the leaders.