The Senate Standing Committee on Energy has agreed to undertake targeted oversight visits to counties with stalled rural electrification projects amid concerns that electricity poles remain unconnected long after projects are launched.

Meeting at Bunge Tower under Chairperson Senator William Kisang, the Committee considered a Parliamentary Budget Office brief on budget implementation in the energy sector for the 2025/2026 financial year.

The brief showed that cumulative expenditure on the Ksh41.76 billion Rural Electrification Scheme stood at Ksh8.86 billion, approximately 21 per cent, as at 31 March 2026. The scheme began in January 2020 and is scheduled to end in July 2028.

“We will identify between one and three counties with stalled REREC projects and undertake targeted oversight visits to establish the challenges delaying electricity connections,” Senator Kisang said.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale accused the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) of holding launches with no follow-through.

"REREC launches projects when the President visits, and then everything stalls. Poles stand for years without a single household being connected," he said.

Following a request by Senator Danson Mungatana, the Committee agreed to visit Tana River County to inspect last-mile connectivity projects. The proposed visit is scheduled for November 2026.

The Committee on Sen. Beatrice Ogolla request, directed the Secretariat to write to the REREC chief executive about commitments made during the 19 August presidential visit to Homa Bay. "REREC reached the first school only two days ago. The second stop is still pending and residents are still waiting," she said.

The budget brief also revealed that only 12 counties had identifiable allocations to specific energy programmes, totalling Ksh791.9 million, equivalent to 0.13 per cent of aggregate county budgets. Expenditure stood at Ksh396.8 million, representing 50 per cent absorption.

At the national level, the State Department for Energy had spent Ksh42.98 billion of its Ksh63.47 billion allocation, while Petroleum had spent Ksh6.08 billion of Ksh30.69 billion. These represented absorption rates of 68 and 20 per cent respectively, as at 31 March 2026.

Members also sought clarification on the reduction in combined energy and petroleum allocations to Ksh56.2 billion in 2026/2027. The Secretariat will request a list of programmes transferred to the National Infrastructure Fund, while the Parliamentary Budget Office will prepare a separate analysis of the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project for the next meeting.