After years of endless blackouts and noisy diesel generators, Mandera County could soon get relief from across the border.
President William Ruto has announced that his administration will move to secure electricity from Ethiopia as part of efforts to end the acute power shortage in the northern county. In the meantime, he said a new generator will be installed to ease the immediate crisis.
Addressing residents during the NYOTA Capital Disbursement event at Mandera Stadium on Thursday, Ruto admitted the situation has been difficult and promised swift action.
“To address the acute power shortage in the county, we shall, in the short term, install a 3-megawatt generator to stabilise supply even as we fast-track plans to connect Mandera to the Ethiopian power grid for a more sustainable solution,” he said.
Mandera has long depended on isolated diesel-powered generators managed by Kenya Power. The system is costly to run and prone to breakdowns, often leaving homes, hospitals and businesses without electricity for hours or even days.
The planned connection to Ethiopia’s grid is part of a wider regional energy partnership. Kenya and Ethiopia are already linked through a high-voltage transmission line commissioned in 2022, allowing Kenya to import hydropower.
The deal gained fresh momentum after the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in September 2025.
During the ceremony, Ruto said Kenya was ready to formalise a power purchase agreement to tap into surplus electricity from the dam.
“For Kenya, it offers immense promise. We are ready to sign a power purchase agreement with Ethiopia to off-take surplus electricity to power our industries, ICT hubs, manufacturing, and agro-processing, while strengthening competitiveness, creating jobs, and driving sustainable growth,” he said.
The GERD, built on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region, is Africa’s largest hydropower project with a capacity of over 6,000 megawatts. Ethiopia has positioned it as a key source of electricity exports to neighbouring countries.
Kenya’s electricity demand continues to grow, driven by industrial expansion and population growth. By linking Mandera directly to the Ethiopian grid, the government hopes to provide a more stable and affordable supply compared to the current diesel-based system.
For residents who have endured years of unreliable power, the promise of steady electricity could mark a major turning point for businesses, healthcare services and learning institutions in the border county.
Leave a comment