Electricity access must lead to local opportunity

Connecting communities is only the beginning — delivery and reliability are what will define the North Rift projects

By James Kilonzo Bwire

The flag-off of Last Mile Connectivity Programme projects in Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties at the start of President William Ruto’s North Rift development tour is a welcome reminder that electricity access remains central to Kenya’s development ambitions. Sites in Maraba, Kaptumo, Kenya School of TVET Moiben Campus and Sirkwa–Ziwa Machine Road are set to receive power connections serving homes, businesses and institutions. Their significance, however, will be determined not by the ceremony but by what residents experience after it.

A household connection has limited value if supply is unreliable, costs are prohibitive or customers lack the equipment and knowledge to make productive use of electricity. For the Moiben campus, power must support practical instruction and functioning equipment, not merely basic lighting. For small businesses, it must be dependable enough to plan around. For families, it must be affordable and clearly explained.

These benefits do not arrive automatically. Electrification creates conditions for enterprise, but lasting opportunity also requires access to finance, skills, markets and transport. County and national institutions must recognise these connections and ensure that power access is coordinated with broader local development planning.

Implementation must be open and accountable. Communities deserve clear information about project scope, timelines, connection procedures and channels for reporting faults. Maintenance and responsive customer service are not afterthoughts — they are part of the programme’s development purpose.

The North Rift flag-off is the beginning of a public obligation, not its fulfilment. Delivery is the only measure that matters.

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