European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger has praised the country for its significant advancements in rural electrification.
Geiger noted that access to electricity has doubled in the last 10 years from 37 percent in 2013 to 75 per cent today.
She highlighted this achievement during a contract signing ceremony for the fourth phase of the Last Mile Connectivity project at Statehouse.
The program, she said, is a game changer in the country’s development and that it is a major milestone in EU’s partnership with Kenya.
“Kenya is well on track to establishing herself as a front runner in sustainable practices on infrastructure development and green transition,” she said.
President William Ruto witnessed the signing of the deal.
The project with a budget of €180 million (Sh26 billion), aims to connect 280,473 households across 32 counties to the electricity grid.
This in effect means that 1.5 million new customers will have direct access to reliable electricity.
Funded by the Agence Française de Development, the EU, and the European Investment Bank, the project includes the installation of 940 new transformers, optimizing 3,735 existing transformers, and constructing the necessary power lines.
Geiger also reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting Kenya's renewable energy expansion, praising the country’s efforts in sustainable infrastructure development and green transition.
She, however, acknowledged challenges that the private sector faces in investment announcing a significant EU grant of €30 million (Sh4.3 billion) to help reduce investment costs and ensure project sustainability.
“To achieve the goal of universal and sustainable electricity access, the necessary investments are very high and not always commercially attractive for the private sector,” she stated.
This partnership, she said, is framed under the Global Gateway Initiative aimed at narrowing the global investment gap worldwide and helping tackle the most pressing challenges.
Geiger further disclosed that the Global Gateway will mobilise up to 300 billion by 2027 for developing global infrastructure and supporting the green and digital transition around the world.
"Out of this, €150 billion will go to Africa," she said.
