Lights everywhere: How Sh2.2bn drive is changing lives in Siaya
For years, darkness came early to Imbaya village.
When the sun went down, residents turned to kerosene lamps and solar lights to illuminate their homes.
Walking outside at night was risky, while seeking medical attention after dark could become a race against time.
Now, electricity lines have reached homes that for years remained off the national grid, bringing light into compounds, powering televisions and radios and opening the door to new businesses.
The transformation is part of a Sh2.2 billion electricity expansion programme in Siaya county targeting about 25,000 households in the current financial year.
For Jairus Oyamo, a resident of Imbaya, the biggest change is the sense of security that has come with the lights.
He recalled a time when darkness made even basic activities hazardous.
Now, he said, residents can move around with greater confidence and access medical care at night.
“We have lights everywhere and we are grateful. We can visit hospital anytime because boda bodas can easily move at night,” Oyamo said.
For Maureen Achieng, electricity has transformed life inside the home.
Residents previously depended on solar power, which she said was expensive to maintain, or kerosene lamps that sometimes caused fires.
“Previously, paraffin lamps used to cause fires in our houses, and the solar system was expensive to maintain. But with electricity, we can buy tokens for as little as Sh50, and they can last us a whole week,” she said.
Colleta Odhiambo said residents had waited for years to experience what many urban households take for granted.
“At first we were in darkness, but now we are shining since CS Wandayi became a minister. Here in Imbaya we are seeing lights everywhere,” she said.
Alice Adhiambo said criminals who once operated under the cover of darkness were now more exposed.
“The village was dark before but for now we can see everything and those criminals are now fearful because they’ll be seen if they try their bad behaviour,” she said.
She said theft cases had reduced, although wiring costs remained a challenge for some households.
For Pamela Nyamita, moving from kerosene lamps to electricity feels like starting a new life.
“The day we received this miracle I thanked God because we have been in darkness,” she said.
“Before this we were using lamps but it was risky because they could burn things in the house. This new life is much better.”
The benefits are also beginning to stretch beyond homes.
In Gangu, Ruth Otieno plans to use her new connection to start a posho mill, providing a service residents previously travelled elsewhere to access.
“I am truly thankful to the government. My plan now is to buy a posho mill to set up here so I can serve the community and help people access milling services nearby,” she said.
In Luanda Komolo, Richard Owino said electricity connections had previously been too expensive for many families.
“My neighbour was asked for Sh10,000 just for the drop line, and another neighbour further up was quoted Sh70,000 for a single pole,” he said.
Under the current programme, residents only need to wire their homes before connection.
“We received the main electricity connection for free. We only paid to wire our own homes,” Owino said.
Nicholas Gwadi, who coordinates Last Mile initiatives in Siaya, said rural electricity coverage had increased significantly, with several schemes at different stages across the county.
Rarieda has 17 schemes, Bondo 19, Alego 23 and Ugenya 18, he said. The county is targeting electricity coverage of about 60 per
Energy and Petroleum CS Opiyo Wandayi said Sh2.2 billion had been allocated this financial year to connect about 25,000 households across Siaya.
For residents of Imbaya, Gangu, Luanda Komolo and Ruma, however, the figures only tell part of the story.
The real measure is what happens after sunset: a child studying under an electric bulb, a patient travelling to hospital without fear of a pitch-black road, a family watching television together, a phone being charged at home.
And perhaps, for Otieno, a posho mill finally humming in a village where darkness once brought economic activity to a standstill.
After years of waiting, the lights are finally coming on.
Instant analysis
Siaya’s rural electrification drive shows how access to power can transform far more than household lighting. For residents, electricity is improving security, easing access to healthcare, reducing reliance on costly and risky kerosene lamps and creating opportunities for small businesses.
The planned connection of 25,000 households could therefore have a wider economic impact if new power users are supported to turn electricity into productive ventures. However, vandalism and the cost of internal wiring remain obstacles.
The programme’s success will ultimately depend not only on expanding the grid, but ensuring newly connected communities can afford to use electricity and convert access into lasting improvements in livelihoods.
Otiende Amolo is a very good MP for Rarieda in Uyoma and the are my neighbours. My sister Ruth lives there just next to Luanda Kotieno beach which I love with my whole heart and we travel from there with the whole family and kids heading to Rusinga Island to talk to TJ in his grave. We love it there with Ruth before we go and when come back sleep at her home becuase there is too much food to eat in one shot.
Right now Luanda Kotieno has a very good ferry transport to Mbita and South Nyanza in general. I enjoyed the trip with the ferry when me and my family went across the lake and we wanted to go to Rusinga Island the home of one of Kenya’s greatest heroes Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya.
My sister Ruth has one very bad habit when she gives you food to eat. There is a lot of it in your plate so you eat slowly. Then she comes around looking at your plate and asking you to finish the whole food. She is even ready to add more. Then me I just rush and finish it. With her she gives you food you eat all of it. That is who I am talking about.
Here is that beautiful place called Rusinga Island and going there made me discover the fantastic ferry system from Luanda Kotieno in Rarieda to South Nyanza. My sister happens to live very close to Luanda Kotieno beach so when we came back from the trip we invaded her home for some real good food before we travelled back to Bondo town where we live.
Nyanza actually has some amazing tourist attractions and if we can make lake transport with ferries and other enjoyable water transportation through the lake many tourists with love to go there and that would be a great success for the region and Kenya.
We also have the magnificent Ruma Park in Homa Bay.
And here is Ndere Island National Park in Lake Victoria which is just beyond beautiful.
And make sure you do not forget Kit Mikayi in Kisumu county which now has a resort built there. It is called Ciala resort and it gives a very good view of Lake Victoria. I wish they could develop lake sports there for tourists.
In Kisumu, we have the incredible Impala Sanctuary and the simple message is that Nyanza has a great tourist attraction but it is not marketed at all.
However, the governors can get that going and they can use Lake Victoria having a good transport system to take tourists to those places and enjoy water transport. Does anybody know why Florida is a big destination for tourists all over North America? They have water on their beaches and they have built a huge tourism industry around that place and make people enjoy themselves in the lake.
And here is our big Impala sanctuary in Kisumu City which is like what the National Park in Nairobi City. In fact, Kenya is the only country in the world that has national parks in their cities. It is a great asset for our country. Kisumu has not done a good job of promoting the Impala Sanctuary in the city and it is just nosy people like me who take people there.
And something like the Nam festival was really lively and it should be promoted every year and include water sports activities and lake tours and food.
All these is beside the point but that is part of Nyanza as it is now. I need to know if Ruth got the light. I am going to call her. These are the things Kenyans are going to talk about come election time 2027 other than the goon nonsense which is the only issue for the opposition in Kenya right now.
