To deal with these challenges, Kilifi County has established an Energy Unit which is currently headed by an Assistant Director of Energy. The Unit has a total of ten technical officers with seven of them heading Energy units in the seven sub-counties — Ganze, Magarini, Kaloleni, Kilifi North, Kilifi South, Malindi and Rabai.

The County Government of Kilifi has launched over 60 renewable energy projects from 2018 to 2022. Notable projects include Energy and cash transfer Mwangaza Mashinani, in which the County government collaborated with the Ministry of Social Protection, Energy4impact and UNICEF to install 3,000 solar home systems in households and residences of vulnerable members of the community, including orphans, widows and the elderly. The County worked with the partners by first identifying the areas that needed immediate attention, most being regions prone to high insecurity cases. After mapping the target areas, both the County and partners drafted key solutions, and lastly, the County identified relevant workforce and technical teams to help actualize the initiative. The project has installed 62 electrical floodlights, 200 solar streetlights and 100 solar high masts in market centres.

In partnership with the Energy4Impact through the Green Climate Fund (GCF), 3,000 improved jikos [stoves] have been distributed across Kilifi’s seven sub-counties. The County has also trained youth and women groups on the production of briquettes to avoid deforestation and air pollution caused by charcoal burning. To achieve this, Kilifi County has donated briquette-making machines to local youth polytechnics across all sub-counties. Through the donated machines, different youth and women groups have collaborated in selling the briquettes hence generating extra income.