All public schools in Garissa County will have electricity by the end September, Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Charles Keter has said.

Speaking while commissioning the Dadaab power station on Tuesday, Mr Keter said that only eight out 605 public schools in the county had been connected to power.

The CS said the government is committed to ensuring that power reaches every Kenyan without discrimination.

“In one month’s time, all primary schools in Garissa County will have power connections.

“This is a government initiative to ensure all Kenyans get affordable electricity,” he said.

Mr Keter was in Dadaab to commission power projects which were funded by the government in conjunction with United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Deputy Representative of UNHCR to Kenya Wella Kouyou said the power station would have great value to the people living in Dadaab.

PROJECT OF GREAT VALUE

“UNHCR and its staff in Dadaab are very happy to witness the commissioning of this power station which we believe will be of great value to the people of this area,” he said.

Mr Kouyou lauded regional and local authorities for what he said were continuous efforts in promoting peaceful coexistence and sharing of resources.

Garissa Governor, Nathif Jama, and several members of parliament praised the government for commissioning the power station in Dadaab terming it historic since the residents had not been connected to the national grid since Kenya got independent.

“[The] Commissioning of [the] Dadaab projects is a milestone [for] the people of Garissa because it will go a long way in boosting [their] economic standards as they engage in various development programmes,” said Mr Jama.

He urged the youth in the county to make use of the power connection to do businesses that will improve their living standards.

Other leaders present were Dadaab MP Mohamed Dahiye, Abdullahi Diriye (Wajir South), Bare Shill (Fafi), Mohamed Shidiye (Lagdera) and Abdinoor Mohamed (Nominated).

Mr Diriye asked CS Keter to consider extending power lines from Dadaab to Sabuli in his constituency, which is about 52 kilometres away.

This, he said, would transform the lives of many people in his constituency.

SOURCE: Daily Nation