There was excitement at Galili and Onkolde Villages in the remote areas of Garsen constituency after residents got connected to electricity for the first time since Independence.
Residents both men and women young and old could not hide their joy upon seeing electricity lights for the first time through the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) program that is being implemented countrywide at a cost of more than Sh. 57 million US Dollars.
Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir together with his Principal Secretary (PS) Alex Wachira, REREC CEO Peter Mbugua, Garsen MP Ali Wario together with MCAs and provincial administration officials witness the official lighting of electricity in the remote villages.
Tales from the villagers revealed that a mere photocopy that cost Sh. 10 would force a person to spend Sh. 300 to travel 24 kilometres to a nearby town in Minjila so as to get the service.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, residents would also have to buy ice from a long distance so as to drink cold water or juice. The majority however particularly the elderly it was revealed had never had a chance to taste cold drinks because of the lack of electricity.
The CS said since the Rural electrification program started in 2013 the number of those connected to electricity has risen from 2 million in the country to 9 million homes.
So far, he said they are at 75 per cent connectivity countrified and the remaining homes that are yet to be connected shall soon have power so that people move away from using the traditional kerosine lamps, which will also reduce respiratory diseases and open up the remote areas for development.
“As we speak today this project has reached over 9 million people in terms of connectivity to 9 million homes where people live which is very high, we are today 80 per cent of access to power in our homes,” he said.
He said they will now be reaching to the most difficult areas where people live so as to continue powering the country to achieve the accessibility of power for children, and homes, and reduce respiratory diseases among others.
So far, he said the power per Capita of electricity is at 75 per cent and now they will soon be finishing the remaining percentage.
“You know when such electricity, which has three phases is connected in such an area, we can do business of building modern housing with grill windows which shall be made right here,” he said.
So far, he said REREC has received approval to employ staff for maintenance in counties so as to enable maintenance to be done easily.
The REREC Chief Executive Officer said the project is being implemented countrywide at the cost of 57million US Dollars adding that the Galili Onkolde project cost Sh. 16 million.
“Currently we are connecting about 80 customers, four are on three phases and the 76 are on single phase, the four that are on three phases are the institutions, the schools, the chief’s office and Galili dispensary,” he said.
MP Ali Wario on his part called on the government to light up all the villages of both pastoralists and farmers in his constituency adding that one of the areas to be considered is Kipao Secondary whose foundation stone was laid by President William Ruto six years ago but still has no power.
“This ward had no single secondary school, then but now the president’s school has no power surprisingly it is he (the president) who launched the electricity connection in Kipao village but the secondary school 500 away has had no power six years since the president laid the foundation, we pray that it is connected too,” he said.
Wario also called on the Government to say his constituency benefited from the REREC project in four villages including Galili, Kitere, Shaurimoyo and Karawa.
Already he said Galili was complete and the contractor was supposed to move to Karawa but he requested him to go to Kitere which is for the farmers so as to ensure there is an equal benefit for all communities.
Bocha Hussein who is newly married thanked the government for lighting his village as they will no longer have to travel a long distance to get electricity services.
Hussein Omar, a resident ofGalili village said that electricity would be able to transform the remote village where some elderly people have not seen ice cream.
