Kenya water resources
All of Kenya’s major rivers drain from the central highlands, divided by the rift into those that flow west into Lake Victoria and those that flow east into the Indian Ocean. For consumption purposes, the Ministry of Water is doing its best to ensure that most areas are connected to running water. All major cities have running water and the water is clean, although it is not recommended for direct consumption.
For investment; It depends on the area where you are. The same areas have water scarcity while others have more water. We have many water companies that produce bottled water that is very safe to drink and is available in all shopping malls and even very small kiosks.
Electricity
The voltage is 220 as in Europe; however, plugs are different for North America, parts of Europe, and the rest of the world. The most commonly used adapter plug has 3 square prongs. Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited, KenGen is the leading electricity generation company in Kenya, producing around 80 percent of the electricity consumed in the country. The company uses various sources to generate electricity, from hydroelectric, geothermal, thermal and wind. Hydro is the main source, with an installed capacity of 677.3MW, which is 72.3 percent. It has 3 hydroelectric power plants, 2 geothermal power plants, a wind power plant and a thermal power plant.
Although the energy in Kenya is more dependent on the weather pattern, I can say that most of the year we have plenty of power generation. In times of scarcity we have supply from Uganda and Tanzania to increase our consumption.
Power has been distributed throughout Kenya and most places have been connected since 2002 when we had a new government committed to access to power for all through the rural electrification project.
Transportation
As much of the journey involves exciting and sometimes long days on the trail, most of the roads are undergoing rehabilitation after more than 2 decades of neglect by the previous government. We have witnessed tremendous growth in this sector with the construction and rehabilitation of roads everywhere. In the case of internal air travel, we have also seen an increase in investment by private entrepreneurs. Over the last 2 years we have seen more than 5 private companies make their base in Kenyan airfields. We have the national carrier and other leading carriers serving nationally and regionally. We have 4 international airports and many smaller airports and airfields spread throughout Kenya to serve its tourism and business sector.
Telecommunications services
In Kenya there are two types of telecommunication operators 1. A national fixed telecommunication operator – Telkom Kenya Ltd
2. Two national cellular network operators are in operation: Safaricom Limited and Celtel Communication Limited. Telkom also launched its mobile services. There is also another operator that has not yet implemented its services.
Internet is everywhere in all major cities, although it is still expensive. We have the cyber optical cable that is being attacked and we hope that this will reduce the cost of the Internet. Most cities have a cyber cafe where you can access the Internet for a minimal fee, an average of 2 Kshs per minute.
Health Network – Medical Facilities
Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru have excellent medical facilities. Most other cities have experienced doctors at the provincial, district, and divisional levels. We also have many private hospitals that offer better and more varied services than government hospitals. We have flying doctors service and ambulance service networks are well connected.
Accommodation
Kenya has all kinds and variety of housing options. We have rental house and other housing units that are for sale. Most of these are in urban areas and some cost a fortune. However, one can buy a piece of land and build a very decent house due to the availability of materials and cheap labor. There are also hostels where one can stay for a shorter period. Hotels and inns also abound.
For a home investment, I would offer two different scenarios.
a) City scene
This will be best if you have a business that will require you to have access to general business infrastructure. This will include banks, internet, among others.
b) Field
This is the ideal place for pensioners and retirees who wish to have a quiet life away from the hassles of life in the city. It can be a ranch house, a farm house, or a farm house where you can own or participate in passive activities such as owning a wildlife conservancy ranch.