Residents of Ogongo Village in Awendo Constituency are set to benefit from expanded electricity access after the site for a major rural electrification project was officially handed over to a contractor.
The project, implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), will see the installation of four transformers to connect 344 households to the national grid under Kenya’s Last Mile Connectivity Programme.
Awendo Member of Parliament Walter Owino, who presided over the handover alongside REREC officials, said the project forms part of a broader plan to ensure that all villages in the constituency gain access to electricity.
The legislator added that the contractor has already been cleared to begin works immediately, with power lines and transformers expected to be installed to ensure the targeted homes are connected to the national grid.
According to officials from the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, the project is part of the government’s continuing efforts to extend electricity infrastructure to underserved rural communities.
National Electrification Drive
Kenya has made significant progress in expanding electricity access over the last decade through investments in rural electrification and grid expansion.
Government data shows that more than 1.18 million households have been connected to electricity since 2022, bringing power to over 10 million Kenyans through national electrification programmes.
The Last Mile Connectivity Programme—implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation in partnership with Kenya Power and Lighting Company—targets homes located close to existing transformers but lacking individual connections.
Despite these gains, rural electrification remains uneven. National surveys show that over 60 percent of rural households are still not connected to the national grid, highlighting the importance of continued infrastructure expansion in counties such as Migori.
Transforming Rural Economies
In Awendo Constituency, MP Walter Owino has made electrification a central pillar of his development agenda, arguing that reliable electricity will spur local economic growth.
The lawmaker said access to electricity will enable residents to venture into small-scale enterprises, agro-processing, digital services, and improved learning in schools, while also enhancing security and healthcare delivery.
The Ogongo electrification project adds to a growing list of rural power initiatives in Awendo, signaling a sustained push toward universal electricity access in the constituency as Kenya works toward nationwide connectivity targets.
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