ADVERT 
ADVERTThe flag off of Last Mile Connectivity Programme projects in Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties at the start of the North Rift development tour is an important reminder that electricity access remains central to Kenya’s development ambitions. The projects in Maraba, Kaptumo, Kenya School of TVET Moiben Campus and Sirkwa–Ziwa Machine Road are intended to extend power to homes, businesses and institutions. Their significance, however, will depend not only on the infrastructure being launched, but on whether it is completed, connected to people’s lives and sustained through reliable service.
The presence of President William Ruto and Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi at the flag off gives the programme national visibility. But the lasting measure of leadership is not the ceremony. It is what residents experience after it. People need to know when connections will be ready, what they will cost, how they can apply, and where they can report delays or faults. Public communication should continue throughout implementation, so communities understand both the progress and the obligations involved.
Electricity is more than a household convenience. It is an essential service that supports education, health, enterprise and public administration. At home, dependable power can enable learners to study after dark, help families preserve food and allow residents to access information. At a training institution such as Kenya School of TVET Moiben Campus, electricity can support practical instruction, equipment use and a learning environment better aligned with the demands of modern workplaces. For businesses, it can make it possible to use tools and machinery, keep premises operating for longer and serve customers more efficiently.
These benefits are not automatic. A connection has limited value if power is unreliable, if the cost of using it is beyond a household’s means, or if the customer lacks the equipment and knowledge needed to make productive use of electricity. The programme must therefore be judged by more than the presence of poles, wires or meters. Its purpose is to improve people’s ability to participate in economic and social life. That requires attention to the quality of supply, customer service, affordability and the practical needs of the communities being connected.
The sites identified in the announcement point to different kinds of local need. Households require safe and dependable electricity for daily life. Small businesses need a service they can plan around, because interruptions and unexpected costs affect their ability to operate. A technical training campus needs electricity that supports learning and practical work, not merely basic illumination. Communities along Sirkwa–Ziwa Machine Road may also see new possibilities for services and economic activity as access improves. These needs should inform how the projects are implemented and how their outcomes are assessed.
ADVERTThe Last Mile Connectivity Programme is intended to extend the electricity network to households, social facilities and enterprises, including communities that have not yet been adequately served. The Ministry of Energy describes its implementation as a partnership between Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, with work involving the use of existing transformers and the expansion of distribution lines in rural areas. This combination makes coordination essential. Infrastructure must reach the intended locations, connections must be completed, and the service must be maintained once the work is done.
There is also a wider development question. Electricity access can create conditions for enterprise, but it cannot by itself guarantee jobs, higher incomes or thriving local industries. Those outcomes depend on several factors, including access to finance, markets, skills, transport and business support. The value of electrification is greatest when local development planning recognises these connections. County and national institutions should consider how power access can support training, agricultural processing, retail, digital services and other activities suited to local conditions.
For education, reliable power should be linked to the quality of learning. Schools and training institutions need functioning equipment, trained instructors, maintenance plans and learning materials that make meaningful use of electricity. Where power reaches a campus but equipment remains unavailable or staff lack support, the educational benefit will fall short. The Moiben campus project should therefore be seen as an opportunity to strengthen practical and technical training, while ensuring that the institution has the capacity to use and maintain the facilities electricity makes possible.
For households and small enterprises, affordability deserves equal attention. Extending a network to a community is an important step, but families also need transparent information about connection procedures, charges, billing and the safe use of electrical equipment. Small businesses need clarity about tariffs and a reliable way to resolve service problems. Clear guidance can prevent confusion and help residents make informed decisions about adopting electricity. It can also build trust between customers, service providers and government agencies.
Implementation must be open and accountable. Residents should receive clear information about the scope of each project, the expected sequence of work and the channels available for raising concerns. Where access to land or wayleaves is required, consultation with affected communities can help address disputes before they become obstacles. Public updates should distinguish between work announced, work underway and connections actually completed. This matters because communities are entitled to assess delivery against commitments, rather than being asked to rely on announcements alone.
Reliable service after connection is another test of the programme’s success. Distribution infrastructure requires maintenance, and faults need timely attention. Customers should be able to report outages and receive useful information about the response. When communities experience repeated interruptions or delayed repairs, confidence in the benefits of electrification weakens. The responsible institutions should therefore treat maintenance and customer service as part of the project’s development purpose, not as issues to be dealt with only after construction ends.
The North Rift flag off also raises the need for fair distribution. Public investment should respond to need and reach communities that remain underserved, while ensuring that projects are selected and delivered transparently. Residents should be able to understand how areas are chosen and how the benefits are expected to reach them. This is especially important where communities may have waited a long time for access. A programme seen as fair and responsive is more likely to earn public confidence and encourage cooperation during implementation.
National goals for expanded electricity access depend on the delivery of many local projects. The African Development Bank describes the programme’s broader purpose as improving access to adequate, affordable and reliable electricity for households, public institutions and small and medium sized enterprises. That framing is important. Access, affordability and reliability belong together. Connecting a customer is a necessary achievement, but the development objective is not complete unless electricity is useful, dependable and within reach of those it is intended to serve.
The government should therefore treat the flag off as the beginning of a public obligation. It should work with Kenya Power, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, county authorities, institutions and local residents to complete the projects responsibly and communicate progress clearly. The people who are expected to benefit should be engaged not only when infrastructure is being introduced, but also when problems emerge and improvements are needed. Their experience is essential evidence of whether the programme is meeting its purpose.
The projects in Maraba, Kaptumo, Moiben and Sirkwa–Ziwa deserve support because they address a basic condition for inclusive development. But their value will ultimately be determined by what happens after the launch. It will depend on whether homes are connected, whether businesses can depend on supply, whether training is strengthened, and whether residents receive responsive service. Bringing development closer to the people must mean delivering electricity in a way that expands practical opportunity and improves everyday life. That is the standard against which the North Rift projects and the wider Last Mile Connectivity Programme should be judged.
Photo courtesy: Opiyo Wandayi Communication unit.
