Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has officially commissioned a transformative Last Mile Connectivity Project in Bungoma County, promising to light up over 300 households and end decades of energy exclusion in the mountainous region.

In a decisive move to bridge the energy gap in Western Kenya, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi descended upon the rugged terrain of Mt Elgon Constituency this weekend to commission a highly anticipated phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project. The initiative, which targets the Kamachei and Chesikaki Wards, is not merely an infrastructural upgrade but a socio-economic lifeline for a region that has historically grappled with darkness and development lag. Accompanied by area MP Fred Kapondi and Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany, the CS declared that the era of "unlit potential" in Bungoma is effectively over.

The commissioning ceremony, held amidst the lush backdrop of Mt Elgon, underscored the government's aggressive timeline to achieve universal electricity access by 2030. For the residents of Chesikaki, the arrival of the grid is a game-changer. "This is not just about bulbs and sockets," Wandayi told the cheering crowd. "This is about powering the agro-processing units that will add value to your coffee and milk. It is about ensuring your children can study past sunset and your businesses can operate without the punitive costs of diesel generators." The project is part of a broader national strategy to connect rural outposts to the national grid, thereby decentralizing economic growth.

The Economics of Illumination

The economic implications of this project are profound. Mt Elgon, known for its rich agricultural output, has long suffered from post-harvest losses due to a lack of cold storage and processing facilities powered by reliable energy. With the new connectivity:

• Agro-Processing: Local dairy farmers can now invest in cooling plants, reducing milk spoilage which currently accounts for a 20% loss in revenue.
• SME Growth: Small-scale artisans, welders, and salon owners will see their operational costs drop by approximately 40% as they switch from expensive fuel to the grid.
• Security and Education: Schools in Kamachei will finally be able to implement digital literacy programs, while street lighting is expected to curb insecurity in market centers.

MP Fred Kapondi lauded the project as a "restoration of dignity" for his constituents. "For years, we watched high-voltage lines bypass our villages to feed urban centers. Today, the government has affirmed that the farmer in Chesikaki matters just as much as the industrialist in Nairobi," Kapondi stated. He urged the community to protect the new infrastructure from vandalism, a menace that has plagued energy projects in neighboring counties.

A National Imperative

This rollout comes at a time when the Ministry of Energy is under pressure to justify its budget allocations amidst a tightening fiscal space. Critics have often pointed to the slow pace of rural electrification in marginalized zones. However, CS Wandayi defended the government's record, citing the successful connection of over 9.6 million households nationally since the program's inception. He reiterated that the Last Mile Connectivity Project is funded through a partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank, ensuring that the financial burden does not fall solely on the exchequer.

Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany, representing Governor Kenneth Lusaka, emphasized that the county government would complement the national grid by investing in last-mile reticulation for water projects, which rely heavily on electric pumps. "Water and power go hand in hand. With this power, we can finally operationalize the stalled boreholes in the lower belt of the constituency," she noted.

As the sun set over Mt Elgon, the symbolic switching on of the floodlights at the Kamachei market marked a new dawn. For James Kiprop, a local shopkeeper, the change is immediate. "I used to close at 6:00 PM because of darkness. Now, I can stay open until 9:00 PM. That three-hour difference means I can pay school fees for my daughter," he said. It is in these micro-economic victories that the true success of the Last Mile Connectivity Project will be measured.

The Ministry has announced that the next phase will target the remote outposts of Kopsiro, ensuring that the "last mile" truly reaches the last man.