The morning sun rose gently over the vast plains of Galana Kulalu, casting golden light on acres of quiet, thirsty land. For years, the farmers here had waited — waited for rain, waited for power, waited for the promise of transformation. Their irrigation pumps sputtered on diesel, their harvests depending on chance and fuel prices. Yet deep in the heart of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, a plan was already taking root, a plan that would change everything.

Senate Committee of Energy chaired by Dr. Oburu Oginga visited the critical infrastructure project to oversight the project.

Senator Oburu said, “This project needs to be completed in time so that the people of Kilifi County especially this Weru village to be connected to the national grid.”

It began with a bold vision, the Galana Kulalu Food Security Electrification Project (GKFSCEP), a partnership between the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoE&P) and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC). The mission was clear: to replace the old diesel-powered system with clean, stable electricity, and to give life to Kenya’s dream of food security through sustainable energy.

Worth KSh 2.98 billion, the project was designed not just to power pumps, but to power hope. Engineers, environmental experts, and community leaders came together, drafting plans that stretched across the plains. Their work was careful and deliberate;first, the feasibility studies, then the environmental and social impact assessments, followed by land acquisitions, design approvals, and finally, the awarding of contracts. Each step marked progress, each signature a promise.

Senator Beatrice Ogolla said, “Corporate Social Responsibility should be included in each project that Government undertakes from macro to micro to benefit the local communities.”

Senator Sifuna said that the local communities should be the first beneficiaries of mega projects because from Marsabit to Menengai to Kipeto , the local communities complain of being neglected and don’t benefit from the projects. 

The plan took shape through four key components:

 1. A 220/66 kV substation at Weru Ranch — the beating heart of the system.

 2. A 27 km 66 kV line linking Weru Ranch to Shakahola.

 3. Another 27 km 66 kV line connecting Shakahola to the sprawling Galana Kulalu Farm.

 4. And finally, a 66/33 kV substation and metering station right at the farm — the symbol of completion.

By September 2025, the first shipments of substation equipment would arrive. Engineers would descend on the plains, their blueprints becoming reality, their power lines stretching like veins across the land.

Senator Mungatana said, “The Government must deliver on Galana Kulalu project for food security of this county and country as large.”

To outsiders, it was a technical project — a web of numbers, wires, and transformers. But to the people of Galana Kulalu, it was the beginning of something human and profound. It was the hum of pumps bringing water to dry soil. It was the sound of children laughing in villages with steady lights. It was the rhythm of life returning to a land that had waited too long.

As night falls over Galana, one can almost imagine the future glow of electric lights dancing on the horizon, a symbol of progress, resilience, and Kenya’s enduring spirit.

Senator Lomenen said that energy is an enabler of development as observed by powering of the irrigation scheme in Kilifi.

Because in Galana Kulalu, power isn’t just measured in kilovolts.

It’s measured in hope switched on.

The project completion date is 30th June, 2026. 

The committee paid a courtesy call to Kilifi Governor Gideon Mungaro to discuss energy challenges in Kilifi County.