Angry Raya residents accuse Government of betrayal over Garissa solar project

Angry residents of Raya in Garissa County, home to Kenya's largest solar power plant, are accusing the government and project developers of betrayal after years of unfulfilled promises and lack of compensation.

The community, which hosts the 54.64 MW solar plant contributing nearly 2 per cent of Kenya's national energy mix, says the much-touted project has brought little benefit to locals despite earlier commitments of jobs, compensation, and social amenities.

Speaking on Friday during a protest at the Raya village, Mumin Gedi Ahmed, chairman of the Raya site community, said residents were "coerced into giving up their land" with the assurance that development would follow.

"We gave our consent for the project in 2016 after several meetings. We were told those whose land was affected would be compensated, schools and a dispensary would be built, and at least 150 youth would be employed," said Mumin.

"But all we got were three classrooms instead of eight, a dispensary that has stood empty for five years, and zero compensation for the 376 landowners whose land was used for electricity pylons."

The residents are demanding that the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), which sells the generated power to Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), compensate affected landowners and allocate a share of the project's revenue to the host community.

Mumin recounted how security forces were once deployed to disperse locals who tried to block construction in protest over land disputes.

"They told us we couldn't be compensated because we had no title deeds. But who in Garissa has a title deed? This is our ancestral land, everyone occupies their space through inheritance," he said bitterly.

Another elder, Salah Abdikarim, said the project had turned from a symbol of hope to a source of suffering.

"Two of our young men working at the site lost their eyesight while on duty. No one has come forward to help or even acknowledge their cases. This is total neglect," said Salah.

Youth leader Bare Dubat accused the government of turning the solar plant into a fortress guarded by special security forces, leaving locals fearful of speaking out.

"We expected jobs and development, but all we see are outsiders manning our land. The government earns over Sh400 million every year from this project while the community gets nothing," said Dubat.

"We appeal to President Ruto to intervene and ensure justice is served before we resort to legal action."

Idriss Bilal, a resident and former Member of the Garissa County Assembly, says connecting 250 houses to electricity for free remains one of the unfulfilled promises.

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• Northern Kenya
• Garissa County
• Landowners
• Land Disputes
• solar plant
• Angry Raya residents accuse Government of betrayal over Garissa solar project
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Idris vowed that they would finally have no option but to seek legal redress for justice to prevail.

The Garissa Solar Plant, commissioned in 2018 and officially launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019, remains the largest grid-connected solar facility in East and Central Africa.

It sells power to KPLC at Sh5.49 per unit, symbolising Kenya's push toward 100 per cent renewable energy.

For Raya's residents, however, that dream of clean energy comes with a bitter aftertaste, one of broken promises and unfulfilled hopes.