Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) and Tana River County Government have signed a collaborative framework, under the Matching Fund Program, worth Ksh30 million to implement rural electrification projects in Galole, Garsen and Bura Constituencies.
Under the partnership, the County Government committed Ksh15 million and REREC will match it with another Ksh15 million, totalling to Ksh30 million to undertake the projects.
REREC is also implementing 22 other electrification projects in Tana River County at a total cost of Ksh172.5 million, aimed to connect over 966 new customers to the national grid.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, REREC’s Board Chairperson Godfrey Lemiso highlighted the Matching Fund program, an innovative participatory approach to financing projects where REREC collaborates with County Governments & Constituencies through the National Constituency Development
Fund (NCDF) by contributing a shilling for a shilling, up to a maximum of Ksh5 million per Constituency.
2.8 billion
He stated that the Corporation has already partnered with 15 Counties and 66 Constituencies, to implement a total of 1,096 matching fund projects worth Ksh 2.8 billion.
Mr Lemiso called on all Constituencies and Counties to take advantage of the Matching Fund to accelerate electrification of their priority areas.
REREC’s CEO Dr Rose Mkalama detailed that REREC is currently implementing 122 projects in the coastal counties of Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Lamu and Tana River.
On completion of these projects, over 7,287 customers; including households, public utilities and commercial centres will be connected to electricity.
The CEO further stated that in the last two years, the Government has invested over Ksh. 10 Billion towards rural electrification across the country, adding that this is a testament of the Government’s commitment to open up rural areas to social economic development.
Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation is mandated to spearhead Kenya’s renewable energy drive, in addition to implementing rural electrification projects.
REREC continues to implement projects countrywide with the aim of enhancing rural electrification in Kenya, improving the livelihoods of our people and contributing to the Nation’s overall development.
These efforts align with the national economic development blueprint, Vision 2030, and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) championed by President William Ruto.
