The Mt Kenya Times 
Cabinet secretary Opiyo Wandayi
A KSh350M government allocation to connect more than 6,000 households is more than an infrastructure project — it is a deliberate choice about who development is for
By James Kilonzo
Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi’s announcement of a KSh350M allocation to connect more than 6,000 households in Khwisero Sub-County under the Last Mile Connectivity Programme represents an important moment — not just for one community in western Kenya, but for the country’s broader commitment to inclusive development.
Electricity is foundational. It changes what a home can be and what a community can do. For families, light after dusk means children can study in safer, more comfortable conditions. For health facilities, reliable power means vaccines and medicines are stored properly and vital equipment functions when it is needed most. For schools, it means extended learning hours and access to digital resources. For small businesses, it opens the door to refrigeration, lighted retail and productivity that can reach beyond the village market. These are not abstract benefits — they are the basic building blocks of better living, more consistent service delivery and the everyday dignity that comes with reliable access to public goods.
The government’s role in extending the grid through targeted investment is both strategic and necessary. Where private returns are uncertain and markets fail to reach, public investment corrects the imbalance. The Khwisero allocation illustrates this principle in practice. It signals a commitment to bring infrastructure closer to communities whose needs are immediate and whose potential, given the right tools, is real.
Beyond direct household benefits, electricity unlocks local economic energy. Small enterprises can diversify and grow when they have dependable power. Entrepreneurs can add value to agricultural produce through basic processing. Artisans can extend their working hours. Shops can stock perishables that were previously impossible to sell. These shifts create ripple effects — incomes grow, local demand rises and a modest cluster of activity can meaningfully strengthen a community’s economic fabric. The presence of electricity also changes perceptions. It signals to residents and potential investors alike that a place is ready for development and that public institutions are present and functional.
The programme’s emphasis on connecting homes, schools, health facilities and businesses reflects an integrated understanding of what development actually requires. Stringing wires is not enough on its own — the value of connectivity depends on complementary uses that translate power into improved education, healthcare and livelihoods. Training communities on productive uses of electricity and facilitating small business opportunities will determine whether these connections produce transformational change or merely add a light switch to an otherwise unchanged life.
Equally important is the equity signal this allocation sends. Rural areas have long borne the cost of uneven development. When government resources genuinely reach the last mile, they restore trust in public policy and reinforce the social contract between citizens and the state. That trust, once earned, is itself a form of governance infrastructure.
Practical considerations must guide implementation from the outset. Timely procurement, transparent contractor selection and effective community engagement are essential to ensuring the programme delivers as promised. Maintenance plans must be built in from the beginning — durability of benefit depends on ongoing upkeep and systems that allow for quick repairs. Without that, initial gains risk being temporary.
Affordability deserves equal attention. Physical connection is only part of the story. The cost of electricity and the availability of appliances shape how households will actually use their new access. Complementary measures — subsidies, flexible payment options or programmes promoting energy-efficient devices — can ensure that price does not undercut the project’s objectives after the cables are laid.
Cabinet Secretary Wandayi’s visible championing of the programme demonstrates the role that political will plays in moving policy into action. That leadership must be accompanied by accountability. Citizens have the right to demand that resources earmarked for their communities are used effectively, and officials have the obligation to deliver transparent, verifiable results.
The true measure of success will be visible in ordinary moments — children completing homework reliably by electric light, clinics running through the night without disruption, small businesses finding new customers, and households daring to imagine a different future for their children. The KSh350M allocation to Khwisero is more than a budget line. It is an opportunity to bring a quiet revolution into homes, schools and clinics that have waited long enough. With careful execution and sustained political commitment, it can mark the beginning of a genuinely new chapter for a community that deserves one.
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