Kenya Power, Lamu county ink street lighting deal

The Kenya Power company and Lamu government reached a deal on Friday for installation and maintenance of street lights within the county.

The company and the county also agreed to work together in construction, operation and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

While signing a Memorandum of Understanding in Mombasa County, Kenya Power acting managing director Jared Othieno said the street lighting project in Lamu, which will cost Sh53 million, will promote economic development and improve the well-being of the people.

“The project will light up Lamu Seafront, Mpeketoni, Mokowe and Witu areas,” Mr Othieno said.

He said that the project has open up the place and improved its economy as it provided room for a 24-hour economy.

Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha acknowledged that the engagement with the electricity firm will greatly impact the growth of the area.

“We are very pleased with the corporation we have had with Kenya Power; we want to congratulate your regional officers for the good work that they have done. This encourages us and we hope that the future will have better experiences. Our people will receive power all the way from Witu to Kiunga,” Mr Twaha said.

He said that some of the areas will receive power for the first time adding that it will open up Lamu County for Business, attract investors and make it able to compete favourably with other counties.

Mr Twaha added that with a 24-hour economy enabled, security will also improve in the Region.

“We want to compete, we expect to see the value of property in Lamu rise and the live of the people better due to this essential service. With more working hours, we will have increase job opportunities in our county,” He said.

Mr Othieno said that government is promoting the ‘Big Four’ agenda through the power connection and street lighting.

Lamu County joins 16 other counties that have signed agreement with Kenya Power for street and public lighting with the aim of improving security and enhancing a 24-hour economy.

The street lighting project started in 2014 mainly to rehabilitate street lights within Nairobi County and later spread to other main towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Eldoret, Nakuru and Machakos among others.

 So far 500 towns, markets and centres have been covered. The national government has funded most of the schemes while some counties have funded some schemes from their budgets. Kenya Power is the implementing agent for the street lighting project. 

The national government has disbursed Sh13.5 billion for this project and so far schemes worth Sh6.7 billion have been completed. Schemes worth Sh6.8 billion are on-going.

Currently at least 73 per cent of Kenya has been connected to the national grid and hopefully by 2020, Kenya will be 100 per cent connected.