Kenya Leads East Africa at 56% in Electricity Access Boosting Business amid Tax Load

Kenya continues to lead East Africa in the number of homes connected to electricity according to the Energy Progress Report.

The country’s electricity access rate stands at 56 percent, compared to that of Tanzania at 32.8 percent, Rwanda’s 29.37 percent, Uganda’s at 26.7 percent and Burundi’s at 7.5 percent making it the highest in East Africa and a number of other African countries according to a report by the World Bank tracking global achievements in sustainable energy for all.

The electricity access rate in the country was at 73.42 percent as at the end of April 2018 given the numerous national electrification projects by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC).

Kenya’s electricity access rate has grown gradually in the last half a decade from a low of 32 percent in the year 2013 owing to enhanced investment in the circulation network and amplified investment in renewable energy generation.

The report revealed that access to electricity among the rural population improved by 7.17 percent in 2010 to 48.39 percent in the period studied while that of the urban population rose from 58.2 percent to 77.6 percent.

Electricity in Kenyan homesteads is used in lighting, cooking, and electronics amongst other ways. Access to electricity in urban areas enables a 24-hour economy as light reduces crime which gives business the courage to operate even after nightfall.

The report shows that a number of the strongest gains were made in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh as they all improved their electricity access rate by 3 percent.

Kenya Power is still challenged by the mandate to achieve widespread access to electricity by the year 2020.

The Jubilee Government has however been criticized for claiming that 71 percent of Kenyans are connected to electricity during a launch of their Last Mile Connectivity Project while a report by Africa Check showed that it is 58.4 percent of Kenyans. Whatever the figures are, Kenya is leading on electricity connectivity and it definitely, has business booming.