A new report from the Auditor General has exposed a critical failure in Kenya's energy strategy, revealing that a majority of Kenya Power's off-grid stations, vital lifelines for remote counties, are non-operational due to systemic neglect and a lack of basic maintenance.

This collapse of essential infrastructure directly undermines the government's goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2030 and hits the nation's most vulnerable citizens the hardest. For thousands of families and small businesses in areas far from the national grid, these diesel-powered stations represent the only hope for reliable power—a hope that has now been extinguished by what the audit describes as gross "inefficiencies in operations."

The findings paint a grim picture for communities in arid and semi-arid lands who depend on this power for clinics, schools, and local enterprises. The failure to maintain these stations means that significant capital investment is now wasting away, while citizens are forced to rely on expensive and polluting alternatives like diesel generators or are left entirely without power.

A Pattern of Mismanagement

The operational failures are compounded by staggering financial mismanagement, as highlighted in recent audits. Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu's office has repeatedly raised alarms over the utility's handling of funds for these remote stations. In one instance, a tender for fuel supply was awarded at nearly double its budgeted amount, ballooning from a planned KES 7.6 billion to a recommended KES 14.3 billion.

This financial recklessness occurred even as the utility failed to perform the periodic maintenance required to keep the stations running. Furthermore, a separate audit uncovered a brazen fuel theft scandal at off-grid stations in Turkana County, where employees colluded with drivers to steal 1.18 million litres of diesel valued at over KES 207 million.

These issues are symptomatic of a deeper malaise within Kenya Power, which the Auditor-General has warned is in a precarious financial state. For the eighth consecutive year, the company has operated with negative working capital, a condition that "casts significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern."

The Human Cost of Neglect

For Kenyans in off-grid counties, this is not just a matter of balance sheets; it's a daily struggle. The lack of power stifles economic growth, limits educational opportunities, and compromises healthcare.

• Businesses Suffer: Small enterprises like welding shops, cyber cafes, and posho mills cannot operate, killing jobs and local economies.
• Education is Hindered: Children are unable to study after dark, widening the inequality gap with their peers in grid-connected areas.
• Health and Safety Risks: Clinics cannot power essential medical equipment or properly store vaccines, while the use of kerosene lamps for lighting poses significant health and fire risks.

The situation has forced many who can afford it to invest in costly private solar systems or generators, while the poorest are left with no options. This crisis unfolds as the country grapples with frequent national blackouts, underscoring a systemic failure in energy planning and maintenance that affects all Kenyans.

As Kenya Power remains under scrutiny, the question for communities from Turkana to Mandera is not about when their power will be restored, but whether the promise of electrification will ever be fulfilled.