President William Ruto has announced an electricity tariff of Ksh10 per kilowatt-hour for investors operating in Kenya's Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

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The president said the move is part of the government's effort to lower production costs and make locally manufactured goods more competitive in regional and global markets.

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, September 8, during the signing of an agreement for a private company's development of the Mombasa Special Economic Zone , Ruto said affordable electricity would be central to the country's industrialisation strategy.

"The government will support this industrial ambition with the infrastructure required to make it competitive. This includes a preferential electricity tariff of Ksh10/kWh for special economic zones investors," Ruto stated.

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"Our objective is straightforward: to lower the cost of production so that goods made in Kenya can compete successfully in the region and the global market," he added.

The preferential tariff is intended to make SEZs more attractive to manufacturers by reducing one of the major operating costs faced by energy-intensive businesses.

The reduction for the select businesses comes as other Kenyans face higher electricity costs for their businesses and households following the increase in electricity tariff by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

Currently, Kenyans report paying between Ksh20 and Ksh28/kWh for electricity.

The exact cost per unit (token) depends heavily on one's monthly consumption band and fluctuating monthly regulatory adjustments set by EPRA.

In August alone, the authority added Ksh4.70/kWh for electricity charges.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke