The launch of the power line comes at a time where connections fees are too high for the ordinary Ugandans after government halted the Electricity Connections Policy. The first electric pole being erected at Kirugaruga village in Kakiri Sub County Wakiso district. Photos by Geoffrey Mutegeki MINISTER|ELECTRICITY|DEVELOPMENT
WAKISO – The Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Mary Goretti Kitutu has launched a sh17b power line that will supply over 30 villages and government institutions in Kakiri Sub County in Wakiso district.
Kitutu launched the power line on Tuesday (December 22, 2020) at Kirugaruga primary School at an event with jubilant locals who witnessed the erecting of the first electric pole in the area.
Excited locals celebrated by playing loud music and beating drums after seeing a dream come true in as many years.
The electricity in the area is a fulfillment of a presidential pledge promised by President Museveni in 2016. It is expected to cover over 24 kilometers.
"It is very surprising to see such a beautiful village without power. I have seen nice houses here and you deserve electricity. By June 2021 power will be, and I will come back to switch it on," Kitutu said.
The launch of the power line comes at a time where connections fees are too high for the ordinary Ugandans after government halted the Electricity Connections Policy (ECP) over lack of enough funds to implement it.
New power connection fees released by Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), range from Shs570,000 to Shs3.4 million.
A no pole and single-phase connection costs Shs576,773 for a wired prepaid split meter and Shs610,918 for a wireless split meter.
A single-phase connection for residential places costs between Shs1.9 million and Shs2.3 million.
For customers who need three-phase connections will pay between Shs2 million and Shs3.4 million."I know these costs are too high for ordinary Ugandans, but we couldn’t put the whole electricity distribution on halt yet there are rich Ugandans who can afford these costs and are willing to pay," Kitutu said. A truck erecting an electric pole at Kirugaruga village in Kakiri Sub County in Wakiso district She revealed that the policy will be resumed between April and June 2021.The ambitious policy that was launched in November 2018 was touted as the silver bullet to increasing electricity consumption through subsidization of last-mile connections among the population.It sought to subsidize connections fees from an average of half-a-million shillings, a figure that officials described a barrier to […]
