a very illuminating and power-
written by bila stima , June 06, 2007

I don’t take Kibaki at his word – he spins with the best of them – especially on national days such as Madaraka Day. Here's my ten cents worth of analysis.

On health: In his speech he says that the number of health facilities increased by at least 1,000 – the economic survey he launched 3 days before Madaraka Day says that they increased from 4,912 in 2005 to 5,170 in 2006. My math teacher taught me that if you do it right you should arrive at 258 not 1,000. To be charitable, it is possible, I suppose that he has more updated figures than Planning Minister Henry Obwocha. Or he may have aggregated all the health facilities since his first Madaraka Day speech way back when they were believable in June 2003 PC (pre-Corruption). Did anyone hear him utter the word 'corruption' once last Friday?

On rural electrification: the economic survey 2007 says the number of connections grew by 8.8% between 2005 and 2006. In point of fact this means 10,000 or so actual connections.

Here’s what Kibaki said on Madaraka Day 2007: “The Government is also aggressively implementing rural electrification schemes in order to transform the lives of our rural communities. Electric power is not a luxury, but a necessary requirement for the development of the rural areas. In this regard, over the past one-year, 377 grid extension rural electrification schemes covering trading centers, secondary schools, youth polytechnics, health centers and public water supplies have been completed across the country. A further 340 schemes are scheduled for completion by September this year. In addition, another 608 schemes are scheduled to commence soon and be completed by December, 2007. We are working towards the day when majority of Kenyan homes, in every corner of our country will have electricity.”

And 3 years earlier in 2004: “With regard to the energy sector, the Government is according high priority to rural electrification. In that regard, I expect the Kenya Power and Lighting Company to fulfil its commitment of increasing new electricity connections from 62,000 to 150,000 per year. In addition, the Government has mobilized 7 billion shillings to implement Rural Electrification projects over the next three years.”

Hmm…

Only 10,000 connections last year – but 7 billion shillings mobilized for a 3 year project with targets of upto 150k connections p.a.?

I wonder what happened…. To the 7 billion shillings that is!

b.t.w. the economic survey 2007 has the exact number of rural connection put at 8,931.

Do you want to know how many customers are covered by this so-called rural electrification programme? An all time high of 110,724 LUCKY KENYANS.

I hope he’s cut the Ethiopian deal he promised on Madaraka Day 2006 so that “Kenyans never have to experience power rationing again, even as we are continuously extending the national power supply to our rural communities.”

Otherwise the anticipated September (or thereabouts) power shortfall could haunt him
Let those with discernment…