Kenya allocates $430M to tackle recurring power outages

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Kenya's Cabinet has approved 66 billion shillings (approximately $430 million) to tackle recurring power outages across the country.

Following extensive discussions on the issue of nationwide power outages, the Cabinet resolved to unbundle the transmission line system, according to a statement issued by the president's office after the approval on Wednesday.

Kenya has been grappling with a series of national blackouts, the most recent of which occurred on Dec. 10. This was the third nationwide outage in three months, causing significant disruptions and frustration among the public.

Prior incidents of total countrywide blackouts took place on Sept. 10 and Aug. 25 of this year.

"To deal with the overloading of transmission lines that causes outages, the Bomet-Narok line will be built with approximately shillings 66 billion (about $430 million) from the African Development Bank," the Cabinet said, noting that the funds for infrastructure development will address nationwide blackouts.

The strategic move aims to prevent localized power failures from escalating into widespread outages, ensuring that disruptions in one part of the country do not affect the entire country.

"Rather than the system exploding, it's a good thing that it shuts down. We will increase monitoring operations and even conduct load shedding to limit overloading on the lines," Energy Minister Davis Chirchir told reporters after the Cabinet meeting in the capital Nairobi.

The construction of the Bomet-Narok transmission line will be led by the National government, although initially funded in 2016, construction has been delayed until now.

The National government will lead the construction of the Bomet-Narok transmission line, for which funds were allocated in 2016 but construction has been delayed until now.