Job Namanya | Tayari News
KAMPALA- As Uganda sets its sights on an ambitious economic trajectory, the Rubanda District Woman Member of Parliament-elect, Evelyne Ninsiima Kikafunda, has called for a strategic shift toward clean energy investments to drive development at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the Parliamentary Green Investment Dialogue held yesterday at Serena Kigo in Kampala, Kikafunda emphasised that the success of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the nation’s long-term fiscal goals hinge on the accessibility of sustainable energy.
The dialogue, organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Climate Parliament, focused on Mobilizing Clean Energy Investments for Parish-Level Economic Transformation. It was chaired by Shartsi Musherure, the chairperson for the Parliamentary Climate Fund
Kikafunda, an advocate for environmental sustainability and rural empowerment, noted that the 11th Parliament holds the “keys” to unlocking the climate finance necessary for a green transition.
She pointed out that MPs are not merely spectators in the climate fight but are the primary architects of the country’s financial framework.
“Members of Parliament play a central role in bridging the climate finance gap. Through our budgetary allocations, the approval of external borrowing, and our core legislative and oversight functions, we have the power to create policy certainty,” Kikafunda stated.
She further argued that by establishing robust legal frameworks, Parliament can send “clear fiscal signals” to the private sector. This, she believes, will help de-risk green investments, making it easier for international and local investors to pour capital into renewable energy projects situated in rural districts like Rubanda.
Kikafunda’s advocacy is backed by a decorated history of environmental stewardship. Long before her election, she emerged as an “Environmental Beacon” in South Western Uganda, driven by the detrimental effects of deforestation and soil erosion she witnessed in Rubanda.
The dialogue comes at a pivotal time as Uganda pursues its Tenfold Growth Strategy. This aggressive economic roadmap aims to expand the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from $50 billion (2023) to $500 billion by 2040.
According to Kikafunda, achieving such a monumental jump is impossible without industrializing the parish level, a feat that requires reliable and clean power.
“It is a fact that energy can stimulate economic development at the parish level. To achieve our growth priorities, we must mobilize clean energy investments where the majority of our producers live. The parish is the frontline of this transformation,” she noted.
For districts like Rubanda, where topography often presents challenges to traditional grid expansion, clean energy alternatives such as solar, biomass, and small-scale hydro offer a lifeline. Ms. Kikafunda highlighted that green investment at the parish level would boost value Addition by allowing farmers to process produce locally, increasing profit margins.
The Parliamentary Green Investment Dialogue is a recurring forum that brings together policy experts and legislators to discuss the integration of renewable energy into national development plans, aligning Uganda’s energy policy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.