By SALOME MULOMI
County leaders, climate experts and international partners convened in Naivasha on March 2, 2025, for a high-level consultative meeting on the Just Energy Transition, the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative and county energy planning.
The forum brought together County Executive Committee Members, Chief Officers, Directors of Energy and representatives from the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, signaling the growing influence of subnational governments in shaping Kenya’s renewable energy future.
Opening the meeting, Principal Planner Nicodemus Mbwika said Kenya stands at a defining moment in energy governance. “Energy transitions are no longer theoretical debates,” he noted.
“They are practical governance realities that governments must address daily.” He emphasized that counties play a pivotal role in translating national climate ambitions into concrete, community-level action.
Kenya has emerged as a continental leader in clean energy. Approximately 90 percent of the country’s electricity generation currently comes from renewable sources, with a national target of achieving 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035.
Mbwika said counties have already begun cascading this ambition to the grassroots. Across the country, devolved units have invested in solarizing hospitals, boreholes, public institutions and street lighting systems — reducing costs while expanding access.
He cited Kiambu, Kilifi and Nyandarua counties as examples of innovation in action. Kiambu County’s solarization of water schemes has reduced electricity costs for its water utility by up to 40 percent.
Nyandarua County has installed solar-powered high-mast street lighting, cutting electricity expenses by half. Meanwhile, Kilifi County has introduced improved cookstoves in secondary schools, reducing firewood consumption and promoting energy efficiency.
“These initiatives demonstrate deliberate and strategic action by county governments,” Mbwika said. “The transition is not just about environmental protection; it is about efficiency, cost savings and improved service delivery.” He urged counties to share lessons and scale up innovation, adding that with stronger support, devolved governments could accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels.
Despite the progress, significant barriers remain. Mbwika acknowledged that many counties lack comprehensive legal and policy frameworks to institutionalize renewable energy investments.
Some have yet to finalize County Energy Plans, limiting long-term planning and coordination. Technical capacity gaps and inconsistent funding also constrain implementation.
“It is for this reason that we are actively seeking partnerships, including with the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, to strengthen policy development, build capacity and mobilize resources,” he said.
Eva Sawe, Kenya Political Advocacy Lead for the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, underscored the importance of global solidarity in achieving a just transition.
She explained that the proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty aims to catalyze coordinated international action to phase out fossil fuels while prioritizing fairness and equity.
“The treaty rests on three pillars,” Sawe said. “A global just transition, non-proliferation of new fossil fuel projects, and a fair phase-out of existing extraction — with wealthy nations phasing out first and providing finance to developing countries.”
She highlighted the stark energy inequality facing Africa: more than 600 million people lack electricity access, while nearly one billion rely on polluting cooking methods that expose households to toxic fumes.
“Continued fossil fuel extraction has failed to power our continent sustainably,” she said. “Kenya stands as a beacon of hope in the renewable energy revolution.”
Sawe commended Kenya’s robust legal and policy architecture, including the National Energy Policy (2025–2034), the Energy Transition and Investment Plan, the Climate Change Act and the National Cooking Transition Strategy. She noted that under the Constitution, counties have authority to domesticate national strategies through legislation.
“Counties can complement national efforts by ensuring the transition is managed effectively and equitably within their jurisdictions,” she said, urging them to join the growing coalition of 145 subnational governments backing the treaty.
Senior Climate Advisor Amos Wemanya of Power Shift Africa framed the conversation within the broader climate crisis. Fossil fuels, he warned, account for more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.
“Africa’s fossil fuel systems were historically designed to extract wealth and centralize profits outside the continent,” he said. “Communities are left with pollution, health burdens and fiscal instability.”
Wemanya noted that while Africa holds 40 percent of the world’s solar potential, it accounts for only about 1.6 percent of installed solar capacity. “The problem is not resources,” he said. “It is finance and justice.”
He called for a binding international framework to ensure a fair and accelerated fossil fuel phase-out.
The chairman of County Executive Committee Members responsible for Energy, Transport and Infrastructure, Martin Maseghe emphasized the fiscal realities confronting counties.
“Kenya and Africa cannot finance this transition alone,” he said. High debt servicing obligations, he noted, exceed spending on health, education and climate resilience in many contexts, limiting investment capacity.
Maseghe urged collective action through global partnerships. “Africa’s transition must reflect African priorities — green industrialization, expanded energy access and economic diversification,” he said.
He pointed to the upcoming International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands in April 2026, as a key platform for advancing these priorities.
The Naivasha meeting highlighted the strong link between local action and global climate governance. By aligning policies, strengthening county energy planning and advocating for climate finance and debt relief, Kenya’s devolved governments are positioning themselves as leaders in renewable energy adoption.
As discussions concluded, participants committed to deepening collaboration, enhancing technical expertise and pursuing international partnerships to accelerate the shift toward clean energy.
Mbwika reaffirmed that achieving Kenya’s 2035 renewable energy target will require coordinated effort at every level of government.
