Kenya secures Ksh 6.4b credit facility for rural electrification projects
The government has secured a $57 million (Ksh6.4 billion) credit facility from the Arab Development Partners for rural electrification of public facilities and households in eight regions.
Known as the Electrification for Public Facilities Project (EFPF), the project will be implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec) and will electrify 600 public facilities and light up 35,460 households.
Speaking during the project in Tana River County yesterday, Rerec chief executive Peter Mbugua said the corporation is committed to implementing its electrification projects, and extend power to households and public facilities in rural areas.
“This is expected to spur economic growth in Mashinani and increase social-economic development among the beneficiary communities and Kenyans,” he said.
Mbugua said the project will cover Nyanza and Western region, North and South Rift, Central and Upper Eastern as well as Lower Eastern and Coast Regions, covering 131 constituencies located in 36 Counties. He estimated that in each of the five project areas over 7,000 households will be connected to electricity supply.
“Overall, the scope of the project shall include the construction of 2,850 km of electricity distribution lines and installation of transformers, and envisages to electrify 1,200 public facilities which include market centers, health centres, educational institutions, tea buying centers, coffee factories and administration Centres,” said Mbugua.
The project is jointly financed by the Government of Kenya and Arab Development Partners including the Arab Bank for Economic Development, OPEC Fund for Development, Abu Dhabi for Development, and Saudi Fund for Development.
It is divided into Lots, with Mbugua saying Lot 5 areas will cover 103 projects and be implemented in Kitui, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Tana River counties in Upper Eastern and Coast Region.
