Governor Makueni County Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, next to him Nyamolo Abagi Director Clean Energy at CLASP during signing of the MOU./PHOTO; Courtesy
Despite Kenya’s progress in expanding electricity access, clean cooking remains a major challenge across public institutions.
Schools, health facilities, and vocational training centres continue to rely heavily on charcoal and firewood, driving up operational costs, accelerating deforestation, and exposing workers to harmful indoor air pollution.
This gap presents a major opportunity, underscored by a key development during the 4th Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO 2026) in Nairobi, where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to advance clean cooking solutions in public institutions.
The Government of Makueni County and CLASP, through the UK aid (FCDO)-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme, signed the agreement to accelerate the transition to clean cooking in public institutions.
The initiative launched alongside Kenya’s first Institutional Clean Cooking Sector Pack positions clean cooking as a KES 72 billion ($559 million) investment opportunity with the potential to transform institutional kitchens, improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and advance the country’s energy transition.
Clean Cooking as a Triple Win for Health, Jobs, and Climate
Nyamolo Abagi, Director of Clean Cooking at CLASP, emphasized that access to clean cooking is not just an energy issue, but a fundamental human need tied to health, livelihoods, and climate action.
“Eating is a basic human need, and it is equally important that how we cook our food supports our well-being,” she said.
“We are living in a particularly transformative time, where nearly 95 percent of Kenya’s electricity generation is green.
This creates a powerful opportunity to transition to clean cooking solutions.”
Abagi described clean cooking as a “triple win” for jobs, health, and climate, noting that modern electric cooking technologies such as induction cooktops and electric pressure cookers are increasingly efficient and accessible.
“These technologies combine electricity with smart systems like pressure sensors to cook food more efficiently. Our studies show that even for households that cook frequently, the daily electricity cost can be as low as one kilowatt, approximately KSh30 per day, making it affordable for many families,” she explained.
Beyond affordability, she highlighted significant time savings, with some appliances cooking food two to three times faster, an advantage particularly for women and girls, who bear the greatest burden of cooking and household responsibilities.
Abagi also raised concerns about the health risks associated with traditional cooking methods, linking biomass fuels to respiratory illnesses among children.
She stressed that transitioning to clean cooking is essential for protecting families’ health while advancing environmental sustainability.
“The kitchen of today and certainly of the future is clean and electric. This is about combining technology with efficiency to create healthier homes,” she said.
She further commended Makueni County for its leadership in advancing clean cooking and energy planning, noting that the county has created an enabling environment through strong policies and partnerships.
“Makueni has demonstrated commitment to women’s empowerment, clean energy, and progressive policy frameworks. What is needed now is strong collaboration to unlock the full potential of this transition,” she added.
Abagi concluded by expressing hope that Makueni would serve as a model for other counties across Kenya.
“Clean cooking is a universal win for our health, our economy, and our planet,” she said.
County-Level Action to Reduce Costs and Drive Clean Energy Transition
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior of Makueni County underscored both the challenges and the practical steps being taken at the county level to address them.
“Many of our institutions have been burdened by high fuel costs and inefficiencies associated with traditional cooking methods. This has limited resources that could otherwise be directed toward development priorities,” he said.
He noted that Makueni is responding through investments in renewable energy, the development of a clear energy policy framework, and piloting clean cooking solutions within its institutions.
“In Makueni, we operate on one principle: we are ready to pilot anything. We are prepared to test innovative solutions,” he said, adding that the county is also launching an initiative linking energy and health, particularly in maternal care.
Mutula highlighted a key contradiction in the county’s energy use.
“While we are leading in environmental conservation with 13 percent forest cover, we are simultaneously consuming approximately 26 tons of firewood in public institutions,” he said.
These institutions include 900 primary schools, 1,200 secondary schools, 63 vocational training centres, and 241 health facilities.
“This presents a clear contradiction,” he said. “We have no choice but to act more decisively on these matters.”
He pointed to the Energy Act of 2019 as a framework that allows counties to integrate energy planning with national priorities, noting that implementation still needs to be strengthened.
“This law allows counties to develop energy plans aligned with the national energy plan. However, this has not worked as effectively as it should, and we need to move faster,” he said.
Mutula emphasized that clean cooking is fundamentally about people especially women, who carry the burden of household cooking.
“Sometimes we use complex terms, but the real question is simple: who cooks in our communities? It is not the men. It is the women,” he said.
He noted that in Makueni alone, with approximately 245,000 households, women remain the backbone of each home.
“Ensuring access to clean cooking and clean water is a direct investment in our families,” he said.
Positioning Africa as a Global Hub for Green Investment and Industrialization
At the continental level, the keynote speaker, H.E. Prof. Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, emphasized Africa’s growing role in the global green economy and the importance of translating ambition into action.
He noted that the global economy is being reshaped by climate commitments, shifting supply chains, and the search for sustainable investment destinations.
“Africa’s moment is here,” he said, pointing to the continent’s vast renewable energy potential, critical minerals, and youthful workforce.
He highlighted the imbalance in global investment flows, noting that although Africa holds about 40 percent of renewable energy potential, it has received only about two percent of global renewable energy investment over the past decade.
He also referenced the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change, which sets a goal of scaling Africa’s renewable energy capacity from 56 gigawatts to at least 300 gigawatts.
Kindiki pointed to Kenya’s leadership in renewable energy, with about 93 percent of electricity generated from clean sources, positioning the country as an attractive destination for green investment.
He emphasized that Kenya is actively promoting clean cooking as part of its broader energy and industrial strategy, including efforts to mobilize financing and support local manufacturing.
“Investors today are not looking for aspirations. They are looking for credible projects, structured pipelines, and reliable partnerships,” he said.
The Deputy President also highlighted key initiatives launched at the forum, including the Institutional Clean Cooking Investment Sector Pack and financing mechanisms designed to de-risk investments and accelerate adoption across public institutions.
He concluded by calling for collaboration across governments, development partners, and the private sector.
“The transition to a green global economy is inevitable. The only question is where the industries of the future will be built,” he said. “Let us ensure that the next chapter of global industrialization is written in Africa.”
Help us tell more untold stories of African Philanthropy!
To DONATE or Pledge: CLICK HERE
