In a significant push to resolve one of northern Kenya’s most persistent development bottlenecks, Wajir County Governor Ahmed Abdullahi—who also chairs the Council of Governors—held high-level talks with Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi on November 12 to address the region’s chronic power shortages.
Wajir, a vast arid county along the Kenya–Somalia border, remains one of the few regions still unconnected to the national electricity grid. For decades, residents have relied on costly and unreliable off-grid diesel generators, stifling economic growth and undermining essential public services.
CS Wandayi confirmed that the national government has elevated Wajir’s electrification to a priority programme. He revealed that the Ministry of Energy has already issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an 8MW solar hybridization project, aimed at integrating clean, reliable power into the county’s standalone system.
“We acknowledge the deep-seated frustration among Wajir residents,” Wandayi said. “This project is now firmly placed on the national development agenda, and we expect to have it commissioned by the end of 2026.”
Governor Abdullahi welcomed the commitment, calling it a long-awaited turning point for a county that has endured repeated unmet promises from successive administrations.
“Our communities have borne the burden of unreliable electricity for far too long,” he said. “This is the moment to move from policy statements to tangible execution. Reliable energy will transform service delivery, commerce, agriculture, and overall development.”
Abdullahi stressed that consistent power supply would enhance critical services such as cold-chain medical storage, water pumping, and modern manufacturing—sectors that have been severely constrained by energy instability. He added that successful implementation would restore public confidence after years of infrastructural neglect.
The initiative dovetails with Kenya’s broader Vision 2030 agenda and its push toward renewable energy expansion in line with climate-resilient development goals. However, leaders and stakeholders in Wajir are calling for clear timelines, community participation, and transparent implementation frameworks to ensure long-term sustainability.
If delivered as promised, the 8MW solar hybrid system could become a landmark model for electrifying remote, underserved regions across Africa—demonstrating how renewable energy solutions can lift marginalized communities into the mainstream of economic progress.
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