KENYA: Rural Electrification & Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) to Connect Electricity in Makueni County.

In line with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Big Four Agenda, where Energy is an infrastructural enabler towards the achievement of high quality of life for all Kenyans by the year 2030, Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) has been implementing projects to enhance rural electrification in Makueni County. To this end the Corporation has signed a collaboration framework with the County Government of Makueni.

Signing of this collaboration framework is a significant step towards a partnership that will enable REREC fulfill its mandate on implementation of electrification projects in the County. It will also help establish a framework for co-operation between REREC and the County Government of Makueni with regard to implementation of electrification projects and programmes.

The areas that stand to benefit from this collaboration include implementation of electrification projects via the matching fund programme, implementation of other electrification and renewable energy projects and programmes to include but not limited to; primary School Electrification, mini Grids, electrification of market centres and other public facilities that are not electrified, electrification of Athi River belt and inclusion in Phase II of the KOSAP projects.

Others areas of collaboration outlined in the framework include development of energy master plan(s), establishment and development of energy centres, renewable energy technology research, innovation and development, capacity building and technical support, joint resource mobilization to support common projects and programmes as well as any other activity that the Corporation and the County may mutually agree.

As at 3rd September 2021, a total of nine hundred and thirty-seven (937) rural electrification projects have been implemented across six constituencies in Makueni County. This includes eight hundred and eighty-nine (889) primary schools that have already been connected to electricity.

The Corporation remains committed to scaling up the levels of connectivity in the rural areas to
sustain economic development in order to realize the objectives of the Big Four Agenda and support the Government’s plans of ensuring that the country achieves 100% connectivity.

In Makueni County, one hundred and eighteen (118) rural electrification projects are under implementation during this financial year. The projects target to provide access to electricity to at least 4,884 people in the County.

Under this partnership, the county government of Makueni has committed a total of Ksh 34 million during this financial year 2021/2022, while REREC will contribute a maximum of Kshs 5 million per Sub County/Constituency under the matching fund facility. This amount will be used to implement selected rural electrification projects during this financial year.

The Corporation urges County Governments and Members of Parliament to embrace the Matching Fund approach to hasten the implementation of electrification programs in their areas.

The Shilling for a Shilling program (Matching Fund) allows the County Government or the Members of Parliament to commit a certain amount of money from their development kitty, and REREC commits the exact same amount of money towards rural electrification in the specific region identified by the leaders.

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