President Uhuru Kenyatta has confirmed his government's commitment to connecting over seventy percent of Kenyan households with electricity in the project dubbed 'Last Mile Connectivity'.
Speaking in Kiambu County on Saturday, Uhuru stated that his administration is aware of the need to avail clean power to citizens at a much-reduced connection charge to only Sh15,000 for all new account holders across the country. The president further expressed that the lighting project will be realised by increasing the number of installed transformers, a fact he said will increase the number of households set to benefit from the roll out.
‘'Every Kenyan in need of electricity must be connected. Long gone are the days when electricity was a preservative for only the well to do. Our power connection project will benefit more households living close to transformers, and we are now determined than ever to connect over seventy percent of all households with electricity by 2017," noted the president.
In a move to ensure even the low-income households get power connection, Kenyatta reiterated that the connection fee can also be paid in instalments, a statement that was also seconded by the Energy CS, Charles Keter.
‘'As you have heard, the president has firmly instructed us not to discriminate the small from the big. Even those with low income can pay in phases and get a connection," stated Keter.
The Last Mile Connectivity initiative is being carried out simultaneously with the Schools' Electrification Programme that seeks to light all schools across the nation.