The County Government of Siaya has kicked off an ambitious push to transform local energy planning after successfully concluding a two-day capacity-building training for energy enumerators at Candela Hotel. The exercise—run in collaboration with development partners under Stewardship and PACE—marks a decisive step toward generating reliable, people-centered data that will guide future energy investments across the county.
The training, which culminated in a pilot survey, equipped enumerators with skills to collect critical household-level information on energy access, consumption trends, productive uses, affordability, and gaps that continue to hold back communities from transitioning to cleaner and more efficient power sources.
County officials say the data will play a pivotal role in shaping evidence-based energy planning, identifying market opportunities, and crafting interventions that match real demand on the ground.
The pilot survey was rolled out across select villages in Siaya, Bondo, Gem, Ugunja, and Ugenya, where residents were asked structured questions designed to paint a full picture of their lives and energy realities.
Enumerators collected details including:
Name, contacts, age, and education background
Household income and monthly expenditure
Dependants and marital status
Disabilities and occupation
Assets owned and land ownership
Primary and alternative energy sources
Medical spending
Ability to repay energy-related financial obligations
Officials emphasized that while the questionnaire sought personal information, none of the data collected undermines or deprives respondents of dignity or status.
The goal? To understand exactly how Siaya residents use energy—from cooking to business operations—while pinpointing existing gaps, costs, and opportunities for investment.
County leaders described the training and pilot as a precursor to the Ministry of Energy’s Integrated National Energy Planning (INEP) circular, which mandates an eight-month implementation window before full-scale county energy studies can begin.
Siaya will now transition to the main field study, set for Monday, 9th to 13th December 2025, where comprehensive data collection will officially commence.
The initiative was spearheaded by a joint team from the County Government of Siaya and key development partners:
County Government Team:
Dr. Nicholas Kut Ochogo – Chief Officer, Energy
Jared Oluoch – Director, Public Works
Nelly Oranga – Technical Officer
Development Partners (Practical Action & PACE):
James Muyula – Project Manager, Partnership for Advanced County Energy Planning
George Theuri – Technical Advisor
Emmanuel Owino – Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Officer
Grace Gitau – Gender, Disability & Social Inclusion Expert
Together, the teams guided participants through data collection protocols, tools of engagement, pilot testing methodology, and expected outputs.
For Siaya, this project is more than a routine survey—it is the foundation for future energy planning that reflects the real needs of households, farms, and small businesses. County officials believe the insights gathered will help unlock targeted investments, close access gaps, and boost uptake of affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions.
As the clock ticks toward the December full-scale rollout, Siaya positions itself among the counties taking proactive steps toward accurate, people-centric energy planning—ensuring no household is left behind in Kenya’s clean-energy transition.
