Kenya Power under scrutiny over sluggish last-mile connectivity implementation
By Aloys Michael, April 29, 2026Members of the National Assembly have expressed concern over the sluggish implementation of the last-mile electricity connectivity programme, noting that despite significant public funding over the years, only about 9 per cent of the project has been completed.
The issue was highlighted on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during a session of the parliamentary committee on energy, where legislators questioned officials from the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) over delays in expanding access to electricity, particularly in rural communities.
Committee chair David Gikaria pointed to a mismatch between official government statistics and realities on the ground, stating that statistics from the executive showed that connectivity is at 70 per cent, while in reality the connection is below 9 per cent or thereabouts.
“We are being told connectivity is above 70 per cent, yet on the ground, it is a different story. Based on the data we have, last-mile connectivity is at only 9 per cent with just months to go. This does not add up,” he stated.
In response, Kenya Power attributed the slow progress to funding disruptions, citing the collapse of the 2024 Finance Bill.
KPLC officials said the collapse of the finance bill after the 2024 youthful protests affected the disbursement of funds to contractors.
Last-mile crisis
But the lawmakers dismissed this excuse, stating that the power company is a profitable entity and can therefore use its resources to ensure that electricity reaches all households in the country.
“Let us not hide behind the Finance Bill. If KPLC is now profitable, why can’t you use your own resources to drive last-mile connectivity instead of waiting for donors?” Gikaria asked.
The company further pointed to a shortage of contractors, noting that just 26 firms are currently managing last-mile connectivity projects across the country.
Even with these constraints, Kenya Power said it is implementing ongoing reforms such as localising invoicing and setting up a dedicated project account to streamline payment processes.
This comes even as the utility firm begins a crackdown on Last-mile connectivity debt recovery through prepaid token deductions.
The company revealed that it was recovering up to 50 per cent of token purchases towards the debt recovery, something that most prepaid consumers were not aware of.