Homeowners to pay less for power

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Governor Alfred Mutua quench their thirst with bottles of soft drink which they bought from a kiosk at Katulu S.A Primary School, Tala in Machakos County on May 27, 2015. The kiosk owner was one of the beneficiaries of the Last Mile Connectivity project which was officially launched by the President. PSCU

What you need to know:

  • He made the announcement Wednesday when he officially launched the Last Mile Connectivity Project and commissioned the National Schools Electrification Project.
  • Whereas Kenyans used to make applications with long procedures in the past, now Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority technicians will come knocking on doors asking Kenyans to allow them to connect their households to electricity.
  • The Ministry of Energy has also come up with designs that will enable households that do not have internal wiring in their houses to use electricity by providing a ‘ready board’.

Homeowners were Wednesday handed a mid-year gift, after the government reduced the cost of installing electricity from Sh35,000 to Sh15,000.

And those who cannot pay the Sh15,000 in one instance will still get connected and have the option of making payment by instalments through their bills.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said yesterday that this is meant to speed up the government’s agenda to have at least 70 per cent of Kenyan households connected to electricity by 2017.

He made the announcement Wednesday when he officially launched the Last Mile Connectivity Project and commissioned the National Schools Electrification Project.

Later in the day, the President commissioned the refurbished Machakos Level Five Hospital which boasts state-of-the-art medical equipment.
Mr Kenyatta said the decision was reached following increased power generation and was meant to allowing all Kenyans access electricity.

He also announced a raft of other measures to increase access to electricity to boost the economy and improve the standard of living for Kenyans.

The President, who spoke at Katulu Primary School where the two simultaneous events were held, said Kenya Power has been instructed to include the option of payment by instalments in their planning.

“We have asked Kenya Power to allow those who cannot pay at once to be connected and they can pay the tariff in instalments through their bills,” said the President.

He said the massive electrification project will change the face of Kenya and transform the economy of the nation.

“By 2017, 70 per cent of our people will have access to electricity. This will translate to more productivity and create more jobs,” he said .
Currently, 35 percent of Kenyan households are connected to electricity.

KNOCKING ON DOORS

The Last Mile Connectivity Project also comes with a change of approach at how electricity connections are done.

Whereas Kenyans used to make applications with long procedures in the past, now Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority technicians will come knocking on doors asking Kenyans to allow them to connect their households to electricity.

The agencies will ensure that all households near electricity transformers are connected to power whether the owners have made applications or not.
The Ministry of Energy has also come up with designs that will enable households that do not have internal wiring in their houses to use electricity by providing a ‘ready board’.

The ready board has switches, sockets and bulb holders and those who do not have wiring in their houses will be able to use electricity soon as they are connected.

On the school’s electrification project, President Kenyatta said all schools in the country will be connected to electricity by next year.

President Kenyatta also toured Katulu Primary School classrooms which have already constructed a safe for Tablets, which will soon be introduced in primary schools.

All the 84 primary schools in Matungulu Constituency, where the project was kicked off today, have been connected to electricity and for the first time rural families have got access to electricity.

Deputy President William Ruto said the Government’s plan was to connect one million new customers to electricity each year.

He said the transformations going on in the country will create opportunities for millions to participate in growing the economy.

“I am a proud Kenyan to be at this event and to be in the Jubilee administration,” he said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the ministry has already come up with digital content for primary schools.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua described the initiative as transformative.

Dr Mutua said his county government will allocate Sh300 million to buy transformers in the next budget.