By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 20 December 2025 - The commissioning of the Ondhong Last Mile Connectivity Project (LMCP) in Karabare Village, South Kamagambo Ward, Rongo Constituency, Migori County highlights both the progress and the persistent challenges in Kenya’s push for universal electricity access.
Led by Energy Cabinet Secretary James Opiyo Wandayi, the project—implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC)—extends grid electricity to households that have historically remained beyond the reach of conventional power connections. For residents, the impact is immediate: cheaper lighting, improved security, and new economic opportunities.
For the state, however, the project represents something larger—a test of its commitment to inclusive development.
Kenya has made notable strides in electrification over the past decade, with national access rates rising from below 30 percent in the early 2010s to over 75% today.
Much of this progress has been driven by aggressive grid expansion and targeted interventions such as the Last Mile Connectivity Programme.
Yet access figures mask a critical reality: proximity to power infrastructure does not automatically translate into household connections. In many rural areas, transformers exist, but homes remain dark due to the high cost of final connections.
This is where Last Mile projects become strategically important.
In subsidising the final connection from transformer to household, the state converts sunk infrastructure investment into tangible social and economic benefits. Without such intervention, rural electrification risks becoming a statistical achievement rather than a lived experience.
Speaking at the Karabare commissioning, CS Wandayi framed the project as part of a broader government agenda to use energy as a catalyst for development. The argument is well-established: electricity enables small businesses to grow, supports agro-processing, improves learning environments, and strengthens healthcare delivery.
However, critics argue that electrification alone is not sufficient. Without complementary investments in roads, credit access, and skills development, the economic promise of power can remain underutilised.
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The symbolic lighting of the home of Mama Agnes Adoyo during the event captured the human face of energy policy. Such moments resonate politically and socially, but they also raise questions about scale and sustainability. How quickly can similar households be connected? And can the state maintain the pace of subsidised connections amid fiscal pressures and rising demand?
Rongo MP Paul Abuor welcomed the project, thanking the national government and describing it as a milestone for South Kamagambo.
He noted that access to electricity has consistently ranked among the top priorities raised by constituents.
“This project confirms that the state has not forgotten rural communities,” Abuor said, adding that Last Mile Connectivity would stimulate local enterprise, reduce household energy costs, and improve overall quality of life.
While such political consensus underscores the popularity of rural electrification, it also places pressure on the government to deliver equitably across regions. Energy analysts caution that uneven rollout of Last Mile projects risks deepening perceptions of regional imbalance, particularly in areas that remain off-grid despite visible infrastructure.
REREC’s role has become increasingly central in addressing these gaps, especially in underserved and rural regions. Yet the scale of the task remains significant. Millions of households nationwide still lack reliable electricity, and dispersed settlements present higher per-connection costs that strain public resources.
The Ondhong LMCP therefore reflects both achievement and obligation. It demonstrates what targeted policy can deliver, while also highlighting the need for sustained funding, transparent prioritisation, and integration with broader rural development strategies.
For Karabare Village, electricity signals the start of new possibilities. For the state, it is a reminder that universal access is not just an energy goal, but a long-term governance commitment—one that will ultimately be measured not by transformers installed, but by lives transformed.
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