The Last Mile Connectivity Programme, a government-led initiative launched in 2015, seeks to provide access to affordable electricity in rural and peri-urban areas. According to Kenya Power, the initial three phases have resulted in more than 75 percent of the population having access to electricity, up from 29 percent in 2012.
To advance last-mile access to clean energy while improving smooth transitions, more African countries adopted solar energy, with 61.5% registered in commercial and industrial segments in 2023, according to the Africa Solar Outlook Report.
Kenya is one of the African countries that have already adopted renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal.
Stephen Nzioka, deputy director of renewable energy at Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum confirmed Kenya’s potential to generate renewable energy.
Nzioka revealed to The Colonist Report African that his ministry has mapped out 20 new sites that are earmarked for establishing renewable energy stations.
“The potential is very great, 93% of what we consume as power in our country is from renewable energy sources.” He told The Colonist Report Africa.
Nzioka stated that greenhouse gas emissions are declining as the government gradually decommissions fossil fuel generators and replaces diesel-powered stations with renewable energy sources.
Nzioka claims that 78% of Kenya’s land area is not near a major power grid. “If we have those mini-grids serving those areas that are underserved, then we will be able to come up with industries/industrialization in marginalised areas. So we are using renewable energy, especially solar, to reach universal access to electricity by 2030 that is our plan as a ministry.
“Once we develop a mini-grid then we have businesses coming around, welding, shops, and others around that place,” he told The Colonist Report Africa.
According to Nzioka, the Kenyan government has prioritised the promotion and use of renewable energy, primarily to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. People have also adapted to the abundance of solar home systems that are being sold.
The second phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project, which was carried out in Kenya from 2016 to 2022, successfully gave 1.6 million people in rural areas access to electricity, according to the Project Completion Report released by the African Development Bank on August 11, 2023.
The African Development Bank’s Impact Evaluation also shows an 83% increase in access to electricity. The World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Kenyan government all provided financial support for the Last Mile Connectivity Project.