Power at last: Kajiado village gets electricity, bringing lifeline to mothers and families

Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira during the launch of the Olomayiana Village Electrification Project in project./HANDOUT

For years, expectant mothers in Olomayiana Village have had only one option whenever labour begins—travel several kilometres to Kajiado Town because the local health centre has never had electricity.

That reality is now set to change after the government launched the Olomayiana Village Electrification Project, bringing hope to more than 1,000 families in Kajiado Central Constituency.

The project was launched by Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira and Kajiado Central MP Memusi Kanchory.

According to Wachira, the government has allocated KSh1.6 billion to connect 5,780 households to electricity in Kajiado County. Kajiado Central will receive Sh427 million, enabling 1,076 households to be connected to the national grid, including 76 homes in Olomayiana.

For residents, the project is about more than lights in their homes. It promises to unlock healthcare, education and economic opportunities that have remained out of reach for decades.

T

he Olomayiana Maasai Health Centre, despite having a maternity wing, has remained largely non-functional because it has never been connected to electricity.

Once powered, the facility is expected to offer maternal and other healthcare services closer to residents.

Mother and resident Magdalen Salash welcomed the project, saying women will no longer have to endure long and sometimes risky journeys to seek maternity care.

Learners at Lesingo Iris Primary School are also expected to benefit. The school's headteacher said electricity will allow students to access digital learning resources while improving security and creating a better learning environment.

MP Memusi Kanchory said he was relieved to see the project finally become a reality after promising residents that electricity would reach the area.

The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, represented by Regional Manager Engineer Nicholas Maundu, is overseeing the implementation.

The launch also marked the commissioning of electrification projects in Tokoishi and Maricho villages, extending the benefits of electricity to even more communities across Kajiado Central.