First Lady Calls for Investment in Clean Cooking Ahead of the 2nd Africa Climate Summit

By Chemtai Kirui, KILIFI, Kenya

 

First Lady Rachel Chebet Ruto has launched the annual Clean Cooking Week, urging greater investment in affordable and accessible solutions as part of the country’s energy transition agenda.

 

Speaking at the 6th edition of the campaign in Kilifi County on Monday, Mrs Ruto said access to clean cooking technologies has grown from just 10 percent of households in 2013 to 31 percent in 2023.

She said that the gains place the country on track to achieve universal access by 2028, a target that aligns with national climate commitments, public health priorities, and the global push for universal energy access under Sustainable Development Goal 7.

 

“Clean cooking is not just an energy issue, it is a health, gender, and economic development issue,” Mrs Ruto said, adding that scaling up solutions could save lives, reduce deforestation, and ease the burden on women who spend hours collecting fuel.

 

Globally, nearly 2.3 billion people still rely on polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene for daily cooking, according to the International Energy Agency.

 

Household air pollution from these fuels contributes to an estimated 3.7 million premature deaths annually, disproportionately affecting women and children.

 

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, around 900 million people lack clean cooking access, making the region the slowest to progress on SDG7.

 

Kenya however, has emerged as one of the few in the region making significant gains.

 

Although the country has made notable gains, the majority of households still rely on traditional fuels. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 65.6 percent of homes continue to cook using firewood, charcoal, or kerosene—highlighting the scale of the challenge ahead.

 

Experts say the transition to clean cooking delivers multiple benefits: improving health outcomes, saving families time and money, reducing pressure on forests, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

 

“This is more than lighting a stove; it is about life itself. It is about dignity, fairness, justice, and equity for women,” Mrs Ruto said, adding that access to safe cooking frees women and youth to pursue education and entrepreneurship.

Her foundation, Mama Doing Good, has partnered with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the CLEAN-Air (Africa) Research Unit to develop a training manual on household air pollution. So far, 4,000 women have been trained as community champions, with plans to empower 130,000 health promoters across the country.

 

Clean Cooking Week itself has become a key platform, bringing together ministries, lawmakers, development partners, private sector actors, and local champions to accelerate solutions. The campaign aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030, which both identify clean energy access as critical to inclusive growth.

 

Officials at the Kilifi launch said clean cooking is now embedded in national energy policies.

“Clean cooking is not only about public health, but also about protecting the environment from emissions,” said Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi. “To accelerate clean cooking solutions, we believe that partnerships are the engine of our success.”

 

He added that the National Energy Policy, along with several transition strategies, has been completed to fast-track adoption.

 

Development partners—including the British High Commission and the German Honorary Consulate—praised the country as a pioneer in Africa’s clean cooking efforts while Lawmakers in attendance pledged parliamentary support through legislation and budget allocations to scale up access nationwide.

 

The national clean cooking drive contributes to a broader African push for clean cooking. According to the IEA, scaling up solutions across the continent requires about US$4 billion annually, signaling the urgent need for continued investment and international support.

 

At the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi (2023), clean cooking was given unprecedented visibility, with First Ladies, including Mrs Ruto, issuing a continental Call to Action for women to be fully integrated into energy policy and climate solutions.

 

She confirmed yesterday that she will carry the agenda to the upcoming 2nd Africa Climate Summit in Ethiopia.

 

“This is not just Kenya’s mission; it is a continental ambition,” said the First Lady.