Zadock Amanyisa | Tayari News
KAMPALA- The Bushenyi District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Annet Katusiime Mugisha has expressed dissatisfaction over the delayed electricity connection in different parts of the Country.
Hon. Mugisha raised the matter on the floor of Parliament on Thursday as the house discussed key items, including ministerial policy statements and budget-related matters. The legislator sought to understand why most communities had electricity projects with signs of connection, yet remained in the dark.
“Ten years ago, the Rural Electrification Agency(REA) installed electric poles in most parts of the country and up to now, they (areas) have not been connected to the national grid. As MPs, we have not done our work. When you go there, they (constituents) will talk about those poles.” Said Hon. Katusiime
“Madam Speaker, last year around this time, we, as MPs, allocated money to connect those electric poles, but up to now, nothing has been done, and we are coming to the end of the financial year. In areas that have not been connected, people are threatening to vandalise the poles. We are going to lose money, and yet people have not accessed electricity.” She added
Hon. Mugisha’s concern was re-echoed by the Moroto District Woman MP, Hon. Stella Atyang, who talked about the lack of transformers in Karamoja, saying many areas have power lines in place, but residents cannot access electricity due to missing equipment.
She noted that despite repeated engagements with the Minister and surveys conducted on the ground, no transformers have been procured over the past three years, leaving communities without power.
Kween County MP, Hon. William Chemonges, also said that access to power remains a matter of daily life for many communities and that Members have repeatedly taken these concerns from their constituencies to Parliament. He added that the “government had earlier presented a list of beneficiary districts under the World Bank-supported programme and surveyors were sent to the field, but up to now, communities have not seen actual implementation on the ground.”
Minister of State for Energy, Hon. Okaasai Opolot, said that Uganda needs massive funding to achieve full electrification.
Uganda requires about 4 trillion dollars to fully electrify the country, noting that much of the current rural electrification is funded by donors, adding that this reliance comes with conditions, which continue to shape how electrification programmes are implemented.
“Electrification of this country requires huge sums of money. When I sit down to calculate, I need 4 trillion dollars to electrify this country fully. We actually depend on donors to electrify this country. Most of the money which we were using for rural electrification is donor-given money, and now donors come with conditions. For example, the World Bank will come with compensation for wherever we take electricity, whether we cut a tree or even put it on somebody’s land. Unless we amend that requirement, whatever we do will be very difficult.” Minister Opolot explained
In 2023, a cross-section of residents in Bushenyi district petitioned the President of Uganda over the delayed power connection in their area, asking President Museveni to direct and cause relevant officials to take administrative action and investigate the matter.