The Problem With Problematising Rural Electrification

The modernisation of the Global South is a complex and often overwhelming task. However, one of the most cross-cutting issues is often overlooked. The arena of energy poverty – specifically electric poverty in rural areas and how state policies tackle this problem - is one that often discussed in the wider development discourse. By answering the questions ‘How is the problem of access to electricity represented in the Kenyan and the Rwandan energy policies, respectively?’ and ‘Is there an evident divergence and/ or convergence in strategies to enhance energy access in Rwanda and Kenya’s rural electrification policies?’ this thesis attempts to understand how states ‘problematise’ and deal with electric poverty. Moreover, Bacchi’s (2009) methodological – analytical WPR approach enables the energy policies of the selected cases of Rwanda and Kenya to be uniquely deconstructed from its underlying assumptions in a comparative case study. The theoretical foundations of Halperin and Heath’s post-structuralism, emphasising McDonalds (2009) ‘problematisation’ of issues by states’ exploitation of power dynamics in a neoliberal setting, allows for a detailed comparison of policy statements. The analysis suggests that the similar but diverging production of discourses by the states documents has created a distinction between the states in their long-term goals of rural electrification.The modernisation of the Global South is a complex and often overwhelming task. However, one of the most cross-cutting issues is often overlooked. The arena of energy poverty – specifically electric poverty in rural areas and how state policies tackle this problem - is one that often discussed in the wider development discourse. By answering the questions ‘How is the problem of access to electricity represented in the Kenyan and the Rwandan energy policies, respectively?’ and ‘Is there an evident divergence and/ or convergence in strategies to enhance energy access in Rwanda and Kenya’s rural electrification policies?’ this thesis attempts to understand how states ‘problematise’ and deal with electric poverty. Moreover, Bacchi’s (2009) methodological – analytical WPR approach enables the energy policies of the selected cases of Rwanda and Kenya to be uniquely deconstructed from its underlying assumptions in a comparative case study. The theoretical foundations of Halperin and Heath’s post-structuralism, emphasising McDonalds (2009) ‘problematisation’ of issues by states’ exploitation of power dynamics in a neoliberal setting, allows for a detailed comparison of policy statements. The analysis suggests that the similar but diverging production of discourses by the states documents has created a distinction between the states in their long-term goals of rural electrification