Salasya accuses Ruto’s govt of stalling Ksh2B power project in Western Kenya
By Mustafa Juma, June 13, 2026Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has accused President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration of failing to implement a Ksh2 billion electricity connectivity project in Western Kenya.
Speaking in Kabaras, Malava constituency in Kakamega County, on Friday, June 12, 2026, during the opposition’s United Alternative Government’s tour of the western region, Salasya claimed that residents are still living without power despite earlier funding commitments made during the previous government.
He claimed that the project was initially facilitated under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration through a financing arrangement with the French government but has since stalled under the current leadership.
“Watu wa Kabaras hoiye… Nyinyi hapa mnaona waya ya stima yoyote? Pesa yetu ya World Bank Ksh2 billion ilikuwa imepitishwa na ile serikali ya Uhuru Kenyatta, wakatuwekea hapa. Hiyo pesa yote sasa hakuna contractor amekuja hapa, imepotea yote. Wakikuja hapa na matakataka yao ya kusema ati wanataka ingine ati tutam, waambie ni stima ndio tunataka,” Salasya told a charged crowd.
In a subsequent statement shared via his official X account, the MP faulted the government for what he termed as neglect of basic infrastructure needs, particularly electricity connectivity, which he said continues to affect households, businesses, and public institutions in the region.
Stalled implementation
Salasya argued that despite the availability of funding, the rollout of the electrification programme has either slowed down significantly or failed to reach intended beneficiaries.
“This failed government has done nothing for our people in terms of electricity and power connectivity, even though former President Uhuru Kenyatta had secured KSh 2 billion from the French government for this project,” Salasya wrote on X.
He claimed that many parts of Western Kenya remain either partially connected or completely off the national grid, forcing residents to rely on alternative and often costly sources of energy.
The legislator further questioned why the project had not delivered visible results, suggesting that bureaucratic inefficiencies and shifting priorities within government could be responsible for the delays.
Political undertones
Salasya’s remarks add to a growing wave of political criticism directed at the Kenya Kwanza administration over development projects inherited from previous regimes.
Opposition-aligned leaders have increasingly accused the government of either slowing down or rebranding legacy projects without fully implementing them, a claim government officials have consistently rejected.
The MP’s comments are also likely to resonate in Western Kenya, a region where access to electricity remains a key development concern and a politically sensitive issue ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Development concerns in Western Kenya
Access to reliable electricity remains a major development challenge in parts of Western Kenya, with residents frequently citing delays in connection, high installation costs, and inconsistent supply.
Salasya’s remarks come months after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula challenged leaders from Western Kenya serving in senior government positions to step up efforts in addressing poverty in the region, questioning their overall impact despite holding influential offices.
Taking to his official X account on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, shortly after an inspection tour of the modern Chwele Market in Sirisia Constituency alongside President William Ruto, Wetang’ula said the region has not felt sufficient benefits from the numerous appointments made by the Head of State.
The Speaker noted that several leaders from the Mulembe nation have been appointed to key roles in the Cabinet and as Principal Secretaries, but their presence in government has yet to translate into meaningful improvements in the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.
“Rampant poverty hinders development and economic progress in our region. Today, while accompanying President William Ruto to inspect the modern Chwele Market in Sirisia Constituency, I urged Western region leaders in senior government positions to use their influence to uplift more people out of poverty,” Wetang’ula stated.
“I noted that despite the President appointing many leaders from the Mulembe nation to key roles in the Cabinet and as Principal Secretaries, their impact on improving the living standards of our people remains inadequate.”