Seven kilometres off the harbour of the small fishing village of Shimoni in Kwale county lie Wasini, Mkwiro and Kisite Mpunguti islands.
However, the Wasini and Mkwiro islands are the only ones that have been inhabited by the minority Swahili sub-tribes of Wavumba, Washirazi and Wakifundi for many years.
Since Kenya attained its independence in 1963, the two islands have never been connected to electricity, and the residents, the majority of whom are fishers, depend on generators or solar as their sources of power.
The two islands, which have a population of about 3,000 people also do not have roads.
On Thursday, President William Ruto’s entourage landed in Wasini and Mkwiro Islands for the launch of the Sh350 million solar mini-grid electricity project.
Ruto’s visit, which is the first by Kenya’s president since independence, left the residents of Mkwiro and Wasini with 737 kilowatts per hour of electricity.
“Wasini and Mkwiro, like any other part of Kenya, needs development,” the President said.
Ruto, who is at the coast for a five-day development tour, said the electricity project at Wasini and Mkwiro islands is part of the seven solar mini-grid that will connect islands and off-grid regions in the country.
“The installation of affordable power supply at the Coast will energise the region’s economic activities, especially fish processing, creating jobs and improving livelihoods,” he said.
The national government, through the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), is implementing the Kenya Electricity Modernisation Project (Kemp).
The solar mini-grids is a World Bank-funded project aimed at increasing access to electricity in the country and to achieve universal access to energy
The REREC will develop seven solar mini-grids at US $10 million from the World Bank.
At the Kenya coast, REREC is implementing 2,333 grid electrification projects in 26 constituencies in the six counties of the Coast region.
A total of 42,574 customers to be connected.
At Wasini and Mkwiro islands, the mini-grid plant has 1,800 solar panels with a capacity of 737 kilowatts per hour, which will be distributed via 11 kilometres of distribution lines and three transformers.
“After this power project, we will ensure that we build cold rooms, and fish landing sites and train the local fishermen to benefit from the blue economy,” the head of state said.
Ruto said his government will build 11 fish landing sites from Lamu Island on the North Coast to Shimoni on the South Coast to benefit the local fishing communities.
“We are committed to converting our blue economy potential into tangible opportunity. The construction of 11 fish landing sites at the Coast will help the local communities improve their livelihoods,” he said.
The President was accompanied by Kwale Governor Fatma Achani, Cabinet secretaries Salim Mvurya (Blue Economy), Davis Chirchir (Energy) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport).
CS Chirchir said the power project in Wasini and Mkwiro islands, “is a dream come true”.
“This project will serve 600 families of Mkwiro and Wasini. It is expected to spur development in this area and the electricity will be affordable to the locals,” he said.
Achani said the Washirazi, Wakifundi, and Wavumba Swahili communities living in the Wasini and Mkwiro islands had been forgotten.
“These communities had been seen as the minority and for the first time, the islands will be connected to electricity,” he said.
The head of state also inspected the ongoing Sh2 billion Shimoni Fish Port and issued a grant cheque to support Beach Management Units.