Lawmakers have accused Energy PS Alex Wachira of orchestrating high-stakes “ghost projects” charade by deploying Kenya Power trucks for choreographed launches, only for the equipment to vanish once top officials leave in helicopters.
Also paraded for during the fanfare at the many launches graced by President William Ruto, are trucks from the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec), which members of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) noted have left them “exposed politically because the people are asking us hard questions".
The Chairperson of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee and Butere MP Tindi Mwale during a session at Bunge Tower, Nairobi, on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo| Nation
During a session, PAC members supporting President Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Mary Emase (Teso South) and Joseph Namuar (Turkana Central) took the PS to task for allegedly being the face of “ghost” project launches in their constituencies.
“There is an allegation that PS Wachira has politicised last-mile connectivity. You go somewhere when the President is visiting, you mobilise Kenya Power and Rerec trucks to show the public that there is some work. As you take to your choppers, the trucks also take off,” said Mr Nabwera.
Mr Nabwera said: “You even came to my constituency and launched a ghost project, my brother, and because it has never taken off, what is going on in this case? The MPs, for where you have been, feel that you are directly jeopardising their chances of re-election. For those of us who support the government, we feel your actions could be jeopardising the re-election of this very government. Are you playing political gimmicks?”
However, PS Wachira defended the government’s electricity connectivity record, noting that since September 2022 when the current administration took office, the number of Kenyans connected to electricity has increased from 8.8 million to 10.1 million.
“When you see us in any place and we say that this project has this kind of allocation, at the end of the day, we will have connected this number of people. We mean that because it is factual. These are projects that we are running,” the PS said.
State Department for Energy Principal Secretary nominee Alex Wachira during his vetting at Parliament on November 30, 2022.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
However, his response was immediately challenged by Mr Namuar and Funyula MP Dr Wilberforce Oundo.
Zero connection in 4 years
Mr Namuar said that despite being a UDA party MP, the whole of Turkana has not had any electricity connections for the last four years.
“Since the formation of this government, nothing in your ministry has ever been done in Turkana. Nothing! All we are told is wait, wait. Nothing on last-mile connectivity. And you know I am a UDA MP,” said Mr Namuar.
“You do public participation and post on your social media pages with cameras and reflectors. After the launch, the contractor disappears. Then they say the MP is bad,” said Mr Mugo.
Ms Emase said, “we are concerned because after launching the projects, the contractors disappear.
Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation board chairman Simon Gicharu (left) and former Kieni MP Kanini Kega during the launching of the last mile connectivity at Bondeni village in Nyeri County on May 6, 2021.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
“It is a real concern in the western part of Kenya, especially Busia, Vihiga and Siaya counties.” said Ms Emase.
“There is an allegation that the slow implementation is attributed to the procurement process, and that most of the awards are given to one contractor, who then gets overwhelmed because he has to spend time in all these areas. Can that be rectified so that we see progress on projects? You are messing it up for them.”
Funyula MP Oundo also noted that nothing has moved in his constituency regarding power connectivity.
“What is not happening? When you came with the President in 2024 for a project launch in Nambale with a lot of fanfare, nothing has moved,” said Dr Oundo.
In response, PS Wachira said he had taken note of the concerns and promised action against contractors who have stalled government projects.
“We are looking into that because we have had those concerns. Some of the contractors are already on the red line. We have asked them to give us their Rapid Results Initiatives.If they don’t comply, we are going to cancel their contracts because we want to see contractors who are ready to do the work,” assured the PS.
