Vandalism Threatens Power Supply in Kitui County

Several parts of the county have gone without electricity for years, even after the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) was established and began supplying power to rural areas across Kenya. As a result, only 40 percent of institutions, homesteads, markets and urban centres in Kitui County are connected to electricity, with a significant number of residents still excluded from the grid.

In a bid to reverse this trend, the county government, in partnership with the national government through REREC, has been working to improve electricity supply across the county to enhance livelihoods and stimulate economic growth. However, these efforts have been undermined by persistent vandalism and theft of power infrastructure.

County leaders have strongly condemned the destruction and theft of electricity materials, warning that the practice is discouraging progress and slowing down development in the energy sector. They noted that vandalism not only delays access to power but also forces the government to divert limited resources to reinstall damaged or stolen equipment.

To address electricity gaps, the county government and REREC have jointly committed KSh 80 million towards electricity projects across all the eight constituencies in Kitui County. The funds are aimed at ensuring equitable power distribution to households, institutions and business centres, thereby easing business operations and improving residents’ quality of life.

Speaking during the launch of several electrification projects in villages across different wards in Kitui Central, Kitui East, Kitui Rural and Kitui West constituencies, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Human Resources, Richard John Mwendandu, strongly condemned acts of vandalism.“Vandalism has been a major setback to electricity stability and progress. Some individuals have turned the theft of power supply materials into a business, making it difficult for communities to benefit fully from government electricity projects,” said Mwendandu. He warned that anyone found engaging in vandalism would face the full force of the law and urged residents to report any suspicious activities to security agencies.

The CECM cited cases where solar panels and lighting equipment had been stolen, forcing the government to incur extra costs to reinstall infrastructure, while residents remained in darkness for long periods.He called on communities to protect public projects and avoid actions that could land them in serious legal trouble.

Mwendandu further encouraged residents to embrace productive use of electricity by supporting youth to venture into income-generating activities that rely on power, noting that the government is committed to ensuring rural communities are not left behind in development.

Echoing these sentiments, REREC officer Mr Duncan Sadia urged residents to safeguard electricity projects, describing them as key drivers of economic empowerment. He appealed to the public to report vandalism cases to local security officers or REREC offices for appropriate action.

Chief Officer for Energy and Mineral Resources county government of Kitui Mr Henry Nyamai, said the KSh 80 million projects are set to benefit households and institutions across all constituencies. He added that the county government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with REREC to pool resources and accelerate electricity connectivity across Kitui County.