Kenya Power brings down connection fee by 50 per cent

Halima Adan (right), a nurse at Machakos Level Five Hospital, shows President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto how labour equipment works Wednesday. [PHOTO: DPPS]

NAIROBI: Kenya Power has reduced its charges for new electricity connections by a half to Sh15,000 under the Government’s Last Mile Connectivity Project.

President Uhuru Kenyatta made the announcement Wednesday at Katulu SA Primary School in Machakos County, where he also revealed his government intends to have 70 per cent of the country connected to the national power grid by 2017.

“This singular factor will effectively transform the lives of over 2.3 million Kenyans throughout the 47 counties, while at the same time catalysing economic development in all sectors,” he added.

In addition, poor Kenyans who still cannot afford the reduced cost of new connections will be allowed to pay in instalments through their electricity bills, said the Head of State who was hosted by Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto.

President Kenyatta also commissioned the National Schools Electrification Project.

“Today I announce the cutting down of electricity fees from the current Sh35,000 down to Sh15,000 for Kenyans who wish to apply for electricity connection from this day henceforth,” President Kenyatta said. “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 a total of 5,320 transformers (40,000 by 2017) will be distributed all over the country to roll out the project and urged Kenyans to take advantage of the project for economic enhancement.

“This is a unique moment for all of us. This project is set to improve access to ICT, which will in turn lead to a myriad of opportunities for new jobs and I encourage all Kenyans to make use of this momentous opportunity for social and economic transformation,” he said.

The President said the project, which is funded jointly by Japan International Cooperation Agency, World Bank, African Development Bank and Danish International Development Agency, is yet another clear indicator of the Government’s commitment to improve the living standards of all Kenyans, irrespective of their political inclination.

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

Unlike in the current arrangement, where customers make payments to Kenya Power to get connected, the new programme will enable connections to all households served by the same transformer at the same time, whether the connection fees is paid in full or not. Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification Authority will ensure all households near electricity transformers are connected to power whether the owners have made applications or not.

People in the same neighbourhood will enjoy connectivity based on an application by a resident of the area.

Households that do not have internal wiring in their houses will be provided with a ‘ready board’ by the Ministry of Energy that they would use to tap electricity. The ready board has switches, sockets and bulb holders to facilitate prompt connectivity.

The plan also includes increasing the number of installed transformers all over the country, and ensuring all households near every transformer are connected.

“Everything we do is aimed at making Kenyans become busy with work, more productive and wealthier,” said the President.

Economic growth

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

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.

Ruto said the project and the ongoing infrastructural developments in the country are Kenya’s recipe for economic transformation.

“The heart of this transformation is to enable creation of dozens of jobs and build a society which every citizen will be proud of,” Ruto said.

He said the Government would continue to implement projects that speed up economic development and improving the quality of life for the ordinary Kenyan.

Energy Principal Secretary Joseph Njoroge said the project would enable learning institutions to enhance their preparedness for the uptake of ICT.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the Ministry of Education is committed to full implementation of ICT in learning institutions and has this year equipped 625 schools with solar power.