Lighting the Last Mile: James Wanday’s Homa Bay tour signals a Turning point for Inclusive Energy

Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum James Wandayi’s visit to Homa Bay County marked more than a routine government tour. It signaled a decisive moment in the region’s long journey from unreliable electricity toward inclusive, dependable energy access. Through a series of Last Mile Connectivity Project (LMCP) launches and public engagements across Karachuonyo and Rangwe constituencies, Wandayi demonstrated how national energy policy can translate into tangible community transformation—anchored firmly within President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

Accompanied by Karachuonyo MP Hon. Adipo Kuome and Rangwe MP Hon. Dr. Lillian Gogo, Wandayi rolled out projects aimed at empowering small enterprises, strengthening public institutions, and narrowing the urban-rural development gap. This was not symbolic ribbon-cutting.

It was devolved governance in action, where policy intent meets grassroots realities in one of Kenya’s most vibrant yet historically underserved lake regions. At its core, LMCP remains Kenya’s flagship rural electrification initiative, extending low-voltage networks, installing essential infrastructure, and easing access through substantial government support.

The first stop in North Karachuonyo Ward’s Sanda area showcased a transformer maximisation project—an efficient intervention designed to unlock unused capacity within existing systems. By redistributing available load, the project enables additional connections without costly new substations. In communities where electricity has long been aspirational, such technical innovation has immediate economic consequences. Reliable power now supports cold storage for fish from Lake Victoria, allowing small-scale traders to reduce losses, stabilize earnings, and expand into viable micro-enterprises. This is the quiet but profound impact of infrastructure done right.

From Sanda, Wandayi moved to Central Karachuonyo Ward, where LMCP materials for the Achuth Project were flagged off near Achuth Primary School. The setting was symbolic and strategic. Energy access and education are deeply intertwined, and electrified learning environments consistently improve academic outcomes. Evening study hours, access to digital learning tools, and safer school facilities help nurture ambition in communities once constrained by darkness. The stop reinforced a simple truth: energy investment is human capital investment.

Public engagement took center stage at Alai Grounds in Kendu Bay Town, where residents openly shared concerns about billing, timelines, and service reliability. Rather than scripted addresses, the baraza became a listening forum. Wandayi’s willingness to engage candidly reinforced public confidence and framed the electrification drive as a participatory national project rather than a top-down directive.

In Rangwe Constituency, the momentum continued with the launch of the Kogayo Village LMCP project in Kagan Ward. The initiative combines new distribution lines with solar-hybrid street lighting, improving both economic activity and community safety. For women-led enterprises such as milling and tailoring, dependable power is transformative—reducing operating costs, extending working hours, and creating employment. The accompanying public forum further strengthened accountability, with clear explanations on project timelines, tariffs, and the adoption of modern tools like drone surveys to speed up implementation.

The day culminated in Gem West Ward with the commissioning of the Rang’i Village LMCP Project, linking critical health infrastructure to stable power with backup systems. Here, Wandayi contextualized local progress within the national electrification roadmap, emphasizing shared financing models and Kenya’s steady march toward universal access. Community dialogue underscored a growing shift in perception: reliable electricity is no longer a distant promise, but a deliverable public service.

Collectively, these initiatives reflect Wandayi’s reputation as a pragmatic reformer. LMCP’s clustered village approach is reducing rollout costs while accelerating coverage, and innovations such as GIS mapping and private-sector partnerships are improving scalability. While challenges within the power sector persist, the Homa Bay experience illustrates measurable progress—reduced outages, steadier local incomes, and stronger collaboration between national leaders and constituency representatives.

Still, the work is unfinished. Integrating off-grid renewable solutions for hard-to-reach areas, reforming tariffs, and equipping youth with modern energy skills remain essential next steps. If sustained, these efforts position energy not just as infrastructure, but as a unifying economic force for Nyanza and beyond.

James Wandayi’s Homa Bay engagements reframed what effective leadership in the energy sector looks like. Through practical projects and genuine public dialogue, the region’s development narrative is shifting—from marginalization to momentum. In that transformation lies a broader national lesson: when the last mile is powered, the whole country moves forward.