Mathare residents benefit from Informal Settlements Programme

Tuesday, 27th January, 2015

 

More than 30,000 residents in Nairobi’s Mathare and other nearby areas will benefit from a special programme that Kenya Power is implementing to provide safe and affordable electricity connection in informal settlements.

 

The Kenya Power Managing Director and CEO, Dr Ben Chumo said this today during an exercise to launch the programme at Mathare Valley in Nairobi.

 

 

Dr. Chumo said the project in Mathare and the surrounding areas will be implemented at an approximate cost of Shs.363 million with the aim of enhancing the lives of the residents by providing safe, legal and affordable power connection to people living in informal settlements.

 

 

“This is an ongoing programme, and in the short time that we have started implementing it in this area, more than 6,000 customers have expressed interest by registering to be considered. Out of these, 2,000 customers have already been metered,” he said.

 

 

The World Bank funded programme allows qualifying residents to pay a minimal charge of Shs.1,116 per connection, Dr Chumo said.  The World Bank through GPOBA contributes US$ 225(Shs.19,350), while Kenya Power contributes Shs.11,970 per connection making up the standard capital contribution of Shs.32,480 per connection.   

 

 

“Kenya Power has opted to pre-invest, in the programme by constructing connection lines, installing transformers and other infrastructural setup to enable connection to customers’ houses.” Dr. Ben Chumo added.

 

 

Area residents will be connected to prepaid meters and the connection fee of Shs.1,160 will then be recovered from the customer’s purchase of prepaid tokens for a period of 12 months. This translates to Shs.100 per month.

 

 

The programme will be implemented in highly populated settlement areasnearby including Mathare 4A, Mathare 4B, Mathare Area 1 and 2, Kosovo and Getathuru in Mathare; Kiambiu in Eastleigh; Mji wa Huruma near Runda; Gituamba and Korogocho in Kasarani; Soweto in Kahawa West and City Cotton in Buruburu.

 

 

 

Ends…..

 

For more information, contact:

Kenya Power Corporate Communications Dept.

Tel. 3201628/39/47

E-mail communications@kenyapower.co.ke


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