New funding model connects over 1,000 households to electricity

Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi in Busia County where he announced a Sh 1.4 billion allocation to connect more households to electricity across Busia County. He is accompanied by Busia Woman Rep Catherine Omanyo. [Courtesy, Catherine Omanyo]

More than 1,000 households in Busia County have gained access to electricity through a partnership between the county government and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC).

The initiative, implemented under the Matching Fund Programme, has seen the two levels of government jointly invest in electricity infrastructure across the county over the last two years.

Under the programme, county governments contribute up to five million shillings per sub-county, with REREC matching the contribution on a shilling-for-shilling basis. The arrangement also allows county governments to identify areas that require electricity connectivity.

Speaking during the launch of the Madua/Pramukh Village Electrification Project in Matayos Constituency, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said Busia County had contributed Sh154 million to the programme between the 2023-2024 and 2025-2026 financial years.

Wandayi said the joint investment by the county government and REREC had enabled 1,018 households to be connected to electricity, describing the programme as a progressive approach that could accelerate rural electrification.

The CS challenged other county governments to adopt the shilling-for-shilling model, saying stronger cooperation between the national and county governments would help expand electricity access and improve the livelihoods of rural communities.

He said the national government would continue supplementing the efforts of county governments to ensure more Kenyans gain access to electricity.

The matching fund model allows counties to play a direct role in determining where electrification projects are needed, potentially allowing communities that have previously remained outside the national grid to benefit from targeted investments.

The Madua/Pramukh project is part of the broader electrification drive in Busia, with leaders saying increased electricity connectivity will support households and create opportunities for economic activities.

The launch brought together Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula, Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo and Matayos Member of Parliament Geoffrey Odanga.

National administration officials, Members of the County Assembly, local leaders and community representatives also attended the event.

REREC was represented by a team led by its representative, Eng Michael Apudo.

The partnership comes as the government seeks to increase electricity access in rural areas, with county governments expected to complement national efforts through locally driven projects.

Wandayi said continued collaboration between the two levels of government would be critical in closing the electricity access gap and ensuring that more households benefit from development projects.