Energy Week 2025 has officially begun at Ithookwe Primary School in Kitui County with a tree planting exercise officiated by Energy Principal Secretary Alex Kamau Wachira and Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, alongside Kitui Deputy Governor Augustine Wambua and other county officials.
Running through to Friday, the week-long event is being held under the theme “Transforming Lives through Sustainable Solutions,” underscoring Kenya’s commitment to clean and renewable energy as the country heads toward Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20.
The opening ceremony featured a tree planting exercise that will see 2,500 trees planted across various schools in Kitui County. PS Liban also led similar tree planting activities at three primary schools, emphasizing the ministry’s dedication to both clean energy and environmental sustainability.
As part of the day’s highlights, Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban commissioned a KSh 3.6 million borehole at Kitui Teachers Training College, a project drilled and funded by the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Foundation. The water facility is expected to benefit not only the college but also neighboring schools and surrounding communities.
“Access to clean water complements our energy agenda — it empowers institutions and communities to thrive sustainably,” said PS Liban during the commissioning.
KPC, through its Foundation, pledged to ensure the borehole remains functional and accessible to the public.
In his address, PS Liban further announced the rollout of a clean cooking initiative that will see 24,000 gas cylinders distributed to Kitui households under a pilot phase. Already, 3,000 cylinders have been dispatched to the county’s eight constituencies ahead of the official launch by President William Ruto on October 17.
“Kitui is the first county to benefit from this pilot program promoting clean, safe, and affordable cooking energy,” said PS Liban.
At the same time, Energy PS Alex Kamau Wachira led teams from Kenya Power and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) in connecting schools and households to electricity in Kitui Central, Kitui South, and Kitui West. Among the newly connected institutions were Tuvila Primary School in Kitui South, Sangala Primary in Kitui Central, and Katheka in Kitui West.
PS Wachira announced that Kitui County has been allocated KSh 2.2 billion under the Last Mile Connectivity Programme, targeting to connect over 16,463 households to the national grid.
“Access to reliable electricity is a game-changer for our communities. This investment reflects the government’s commitment to bridging the energy gap and improving livelihoods,” said Wachira.
Kitui Teachers College has also been fitted with a modern LPG gas cooking system, set to be launched later in theWeek by PS Liban under the theme “Clean Energy Cooking.”
The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) joined the celebrations to promote awareness about nuclear power as part of Kenya’s future sustainable energy mix.
The Energy Week activities will culminate in a grand flag-off ceremony to be presided over by President William Ruto on Wednesday, where he is expected to officially commission the gas distribution program, the borehole facility, and the last-mile electrification project — positioning Kitui as the national pilot hub for clean and renewable energy innovation.
